Iridescent
by District4Lover
Summary: This is the story of Annie Cresta.How she became a victor after her games. Then when she was reaped for the third quarter quell and protect the mockinjay.Until the end of mockinjay and her happily ever after with the love of her life.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

When I woke up my twin brother was banging on my door telling me I was late and that I needed to get ready for the reaping. I hate the reaping and the capitol and everything it had to do with it, sending innocent children from the ages of 12 to 18 to fight to death. There are at least 22 victors here in district 4, some are old and the others are young, a couple of them are not that famous in the capitol while there are others like Finnick Odair that are loved. He was the last victor district 4 had. He won five years ago when he was fourteen and was mentored by our oldest victor. Mags.

I open my closet searching for the dress my mother wore for her reaping when she was my age. I take out a white dress with no sleeves that reaches my knees. It hugs tightly my chest and stomach but from the waist down it's loose like a normal skirt.

My mother walks in and gasps.

"You look beautiful darling," she says as she moves towards me and seats me in front of my mirror " what hairstyle would you like?"

"Mom, I don't care just… I don't want my hair down, it's all I know." I say. My mother always tries to convince me into being lady like but I wasn't cooperating with her. My father wanted me and my brother in the career academy since he went there when he was young. He says that if the odds aren't in our favor than it will give him relief to know that we still got a chance in surviving the games. So when my twin and I were thirteen years old we started training and now I'm an artist with any weapon, not like my brother who sticks with the spears all the time. Mom says I'm daddy's little girl, since I was a baby I spent more time with him than I do with mom, but I still have some quality time with my mother and we enjoy making nets or doing jewelry with seashells.

"Done!" mom exclaims. I don't know how but whenever she's braiding my hair I feel relaxed and dreamy. She takes a little mirror and puts it behind me so I can see the braid. It starts from the right side of my head, the braid growing as more hair is involved in it, traveling to the middle of my head were it becomes a delicate bun in a flower-like-shape with fake pearls glued to my brunette hair, little pieces of hair loose making me look sweet, delicate and more beautiful than I already am. If anyone saw me they would think that I wouldn't hurt a fly. I would laugh at that.

I see that my mom has teary eyes, I stand up and hug her stroking her long red hair.

" It'll be okay it's my last year mom just think that and before you know it me and Everett will be here with you, safe." I say. Even if we both come back safe there's still are our little sister Carol who we have to worry about in the future.

I meet my brother in the front door, his auburn hair looks like he didn't comb it at all, messy but cute, to me I guess, to other girls it looks sexy.

"You look … shall we go?" He is never the ones for complements. I laugh and nod.

We walk down the sandy streets following the others to the Justice Building. Every single one of them dress in formal clothes. As we pass I watch the scared twelve-years-old clinging to their mothers or families, I don't blame them I was hysterical when my first year in the reaping came. We're lined up in long line waiting for our fingers to get pricked.

"Next!" says the woman at the desk. She takes my hand roughly as if she rather be somewhere else, pricks my index finger and then slamming it on the paper marking it with my blood.

I'm lead away and left with the other eighteen-year-olds females. Many of them I recognize as my careers partners but other I didn't. Next to me is Marissa she hates me with all her guts just because she couldn't beat me back when we were like fifteen.

"I will volunteer and I will come back as victor." She mutters to me with an evil smile on her thin lips.

I ignore her and keep on looking over the head of those who are smaller than me. I see my mother, father and Carol with the other parents who are probably praying that their children won't get reaped. I try finding Everett over the crowd of thin to big muscles of boys, but I can't see him. I'm a little nervous because even if it's my last year there's still a chance that the odds turn against me or worst, against Everett.

The mayor starts the same long and boring speech I've already heard over the last seven years. Then they put the same stupid video of the rebels and the capitol, etc. I get bore of watching it and then decide to check who the mentors are this year. I see Kendra sitting on an uncomfortable chair from what her body posture says. She is very pretty and tall with tanned skin, long curly blond hair, and high rosy cheeks. She is wearing a sea green dress with white dots and knee high brown leather boots. She won doing nothing really, her district partner did everything for her he killed most of the tributes and protected her but when it was just the two of them he killed himself saying that he loved her with all his heart. On one of her interviews with Ceaser Flickerman she confessed that she used him and then she said "To all does future tributes I want you to keep in mind that in the arena you cannot trust anyone … even your district partner can turn on you, like I did." She has one evil little mind. Next to her is none other than Finnick Odair. He has a serious expression as he looks at crowds of both male and females.

Our escort, Valery, shrieks into the microphone when the video is over.

" Well, finally it's time to select our male and female tribute for the honor of representing district 4 in this year's annual Hunger Games"

She has a big white wig on her head so bright it blinds me to look at her. She wears an golden dress and heels the size of a ruler.

"Now let's see who the lucky lady will be." She's practically jumping with happiness. She looks like she is digging when her small hands disappears in the bowl. I can feel a drop of sweat running down my forehead, I wipe it away quickly with my trembling hands. I think of my mother and father of how much they love me and I love them, of all the good times and bad times with my brother, of sweet little Carol. She withdrawn her hand away from the crystal bowl with one little piece of paper between her slender fingers. She walks back to the microphone and opens the paper, I can see how she reads the name in her mind and looks to the crowd of girls as if trying to guess who the owner of the name is.

"And our female contestant is …" Please not me, not me. "Annie Cresta!"

I sigh. The odds aren't in my favor. I feel like I could cry like I just wan' a scream run to my mother and feel safe in her embrace, I want her to braid my hair so I could sleep peacefully, I want to be with my father on a campfire in the beach shore listening to one of his stories, I want to compete with my brother in training, watch my little sister grow but most of all I want to have a future with the man I love and have a family. But I now I have to be brave and accept my fate like my grandmother always told me to do. I held my head high and walk up to the stage where Valery is.

"Oh my you are just gorgeous!" She exclaims clapping.

I can see my father with a broken expression on his face as one of his princess goes straight to her death. My little sister doesn't understand what is happening but she stills looks at me with big eyes, I don't see my mother with them. I smile at them and try to look strong. Valery already has the name of my district partner or my soon-to-be-enemy. She gasps before she reads it and looks back at me for a second before turning back.

"Everett Cresta!"

This day just couldn't get worse.

He walks on to the stage with a serious face, showing no fear even though he will have to face his sister in the arena. Apart from the second name it's completely noticeable how were alike: same brown hair, square jawline, eye color, skin tone, same age, obviously were twins. There are no volunteers. We shake hands and then were taking inside for our goodbyes.

I'm alone in a room. I sit on the couch feeling as if I could collapse at any minute. It's not long before my mother barges in and hugs me. She cries into my shoulder sobbing loudly.

"This can't happen to me!" She sobs "I'm losing both of my children!"

She doesn't say anything else and I don't either, we just hug each other. My father comes in and grabs me by the shoulders.

"You can do it sweet heart, I have faith in you. You're a career and I expect you to come back!" He says.

"Is that what you said to Everett, dad? Because only one can come back and if it's not me and if it's not him than it's neither and you could loose both of us." I say feeling slightly numb.

"No, you are coming back you're brother didn't even let me talk to him he said that he will protect you and that you will come back" He says hugging me but I pull away.

"And you're letting him do that! He's still you're son!" I yell as tears roll down my cheeks for the very first time. Before he can say anything else a peacekeeper comes in and drags him out of the room. Valery comes in and takes me away with my brother to a car that will take us to the train we're we are to meet our mentors. During the whole car ride I stare out the window observing with caution every glimpse of my home not knowing if I would come back.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Valery shows us the train; it's very big and elegant. I can't help but be mesmerized by it; you couldn't feel a thing even though it was moving on an incredible speed. My room looks big enough for 5 people to sleep in it with a big double bed, a closet, a bathroom and furniture everywhere. I sit down on the bed without noticing how half of my body got buried by sheets and pillows.

I remember what my father said. If Everett is keeping his word-like he usually does- then I would have to find a way to convince him otherwise. I know that we would join the careers and that we would have plenty of supplies but I would like it better if it was just Everett and I. I would feel more safe and secure. If don't come home than I would make sure he does and he can't do anything about it, he is a stubborn person but so am I. A knock on the door reaches my ears and I turn immediately to see Finnick Odair leaning against the door frame casually.

"Not coming for dinner?" he asks. The thought of food actually makes me happy, I'm the kind of person that would eat if angry, sad, desperate, excited, etc. Food always brings a smile to my face.

"No one-" I'm cut abruptly when he says," Valery knocked a couple of times before she gave up, now come."

I follow him out to the dinning cart where all the seats are taken except for two. Everett, Kendra and Valery are all sitting there already eating. Everett smiles at me and pats the seat next to him. I sit next to him and I immediately grab his hand that's resting on top of the table, he squeezes it reassuringly. Finnick sits in front of me and starts speaking to Kendra, both of their voices hushed. Valery starts ranting on and on about the capitol and how much will love it, I actually try to look like I'm listening unlike Everett who shows how annoyed he is. I love my brother but sometimes I feel like punching him in the nose when he is acting like a stubborn, annoying child.

"Okay Valery you got your chance to talk so shut up." Kendra says. She is looking at the petite capitol women like she wants to throw her of the train. But before she can say anything back, Finnick interferes.

"Right, so Kendra wants to mentor Everett so I guess I would be mentoring you." He says clapping his hands in front of him and smiling seductively at me. Everett tenses but I don't know if it's because he will be mentored by a hot blonde or because it's the first time Finnick will mentor and that he will probably fail to take care of me in the arena.

"Excuse me?" I ask not quite comprehending.

"Well you will be my very first tribute Ann, darling." He says clearly enjoying my dumb struck expression. It's not that I have anything against him but I would feel more comfortable if Kendra-a mentor with experience- would take his place.

"Don't call her that." Everett growls, glaring at Finnick. I almost forgot that he called me Ann and darling.

Finnick raises his eyebrows at him a smile on his lips and asks, "What darling or Ann?"

"Neither!" Ugh, what a stupid protective brother I have! I can clearly take care of myself but no he always has to do something to embarrass me even if he doesn't acknowledges it.

There's silence. Finnick turns to stare at me while smiling sweetly as if trying to make Everett more angry, that smile so powerful that makes my insides warm up and my heart flutter. Kendra is staring at her nails looking oblivious to the world. Everett is still glaring at Finnick who ignores him and gazes at me. Valery is wide-eyed and fidgeting. I try finding anything to say in my mind to break the silence but I don't wrack my brain for more longer than two minutes thanks to Kendra.

"So what can you do Everett?" She asks out of the blue turning from oblivious to a responsible mentor in seconds.

"The spear is my weapon so..." He responds trailing of not knowing how to continue. I roll my eyes at him. Typical Everett, I sigh. I can feel eyes on me, out us the corner of my eyes I see Finnick studying me. Kendra can see that Everett isn't that talkative and turns to me asking the same question her chin resting on her hand.

" I'm good with any weapon and hand to hand combat, I know how to fish so does Everett and I can make nets but I know little about plants or anything like that." I say remembering everything I'm good at. Kendra seems more satisfied with my answer.

"Good, we can work with that." She smiles at me for the first time. I guess she's not that bad and that sometimes she just get distracted and zoomed out everything around her, but I guess that's normal for every victor. She's actually sweet, far from the person she is at the capitol.

"I think that your tribute could pass as tuff and bold, maybe arrogant too." Finnick says glancing briefly at Kendra before setting his gaze on my brother.

"He clearly doesn't need acting lessons." He adds after a few seconds, I almost laugh out loud at that. Instead I turn away hiding my smile.

Everything goes silent after that and everyone starts eating again. I have one marinated salmon filet on one big plate, it's meat is white as snow and soft. I have a little bowl of soup next to it and some drink that I still don't know what it is. I didn't realize how hungry I was that I practically devour my plate. I shrink back in my chair and finished my drink. I let my thoughts take over my mind as I wait for the others to finished. Wondering what our parents are doing back home. Mom would probably be crying right now and dad would be acting strong and supporting her even if he may feel himself dying with worry for his two oldest children, knowing only one could come back or worse. My little sister would be lost and confused seeing as my parents won't tell her about the hunger games, yet. I don't have any friends back home but it's Marissa that comes to my mind, she must be happy thinking I could not come back and making her second at being best.

"We should watch the recaps of the district now that everyone is done." Valery says.

I sit with Everett on a small classy couch while the others take their seats.

On district one and two there were many volunteers, fighting each other just to go to some games were you will or be killed. In the end the boy from one is tall and athletic, his district partner is a small blonde with a dead serious face. The two tributes from two are big and muscly, the girl looks like a boy with short black hair and olive skin, her feminine parts are hardly noticeable from all the muscles. The tributes from three are small but no doubt wise. Then I appear on the screen with my brother.

"Oh my, these games will sure be interesting with two siblings in it!" Claudius says.

The other tributes look like weaklings or to small, too young to be competition except when we reach district 10 a big boy with bulky arms and body comes to the stage, he can pass as a career easily but I will have to see how dangerous he is in training. And the last tributes are more weak then all the others, looking like they only eat once a every three days. I think about the only victor from that district, Haymitch Abernathy, the poor guy is always drunk at least that's what I heard.

"I think this year there would be lots of blood on the bloodbath at least more than half of the tributes will be dead on the first day... they look pathetic." murmured Kendra before she stood up and left the cart.

Finnick was looking at the plasma screen deep in thought with a glass of wine in his left hand. Valery left saying she needed beauty sleep. I wonder if the capitol people sleep with all the make-up and wigs or if they actually look normal for a couple of hours while they sleep.

"I'm going to get some sleep" Everett says kissing me on the forehead.

"You should to." He adds while he leaves.

I look back at Finnick who still seems lost in his own world probably thinking strategies for me. I walk towards the little box filled with ice cubes. I love how they dissolve in my mouth and then how I get to munch on them.

"You know, I thought that you would've treated me differently." says Finnick from behind me. I turn around our chest almost touching.

"Why?" I ask in a tired tone.

"Don't you remember our first meeting?" He ignores my question and instead gives me a flirty smile.

"Yes I remember you standing on the door way telling me to go to dinner!" My response makes him laugh. He grabs me from the waist-still chuckling-and leads me to the couch were me and Everett were sitting minutes ago.

" Let me refresh your memory because I can see that our meeting didn't affect you the way it did to me." He says leaning back.

"What do you mean?" I don't remember any meeting with him or maybe it's that he has been with so many women that he must be confusing me with another.

"It was a nice sunny morning when I found a little girl protecting a nest of turtles, does it ring a bell?" He asks.

Yes. Now I remember. It was early in the morning and I was an eight-year-old girl still safe from the reaping. Walking down the beach, collecting seashells and chasing pigeons still oblivious to the dangers that will fall upon me when I turn twelve. I stumbled upon a nest of turtles not very well covered. I remembered how I picked one up and how I tried to keep it. I brought it home and showed it to my mother who started panicking and them grabbed me and made me show her where I found it. She told me to cover the eggs with the sand so that other animals won't pose a threat. I would go every morning to check on them until a boy about my age with tan skin, sea green eyes and bronze hair asked me.

"Why every time I come here you're always sitting there until sunset?"

I showed him the nest of turtles not talking to him like the shy little girl I was back then. After that day he would come with a basket full of snacks and he shared them with me. He accompanied me every morning he would make jokes and tried to get my attention. Slowly I started warming up to him and we would talk all day and have fun, we became very good friends. He and I would go to the water and swim I showed him how to make nets and I even made him a bracelet. After weeks of being together the day that the turtles hatched came. On that same day we were scaring of the birds who were trying to eat the little turtles. Remembering how I took Finnick's basket and emptied it, gathering all the little turtles I could and going deep enough in the water were I released them while Finnick still helped the ones I left behind. After that day we never saw each other again.

"I never forgot about that day." He says. He has this look on his face of admiration; I don't know how to describe it.

"I miss that Finnick." I smile gently while grabbing his hand. He squeezes my hand before standing up.

"I'm pretty sure I'm still the same." He says chuckling.

"Are you sure?" I ask joking. A couple of minutes pass. He seems to be staring at something pass my head with a sad smile on his face.

"Ann I want you to survive this game, I... I know I'm new at mentoring but I promise you that I will do everything in my power to bring you home." He says with a serious expression. I want to tell him that I prefer if my brother comes home instead of me but why would he want me to come home so badly?

"Why so keen on bringing me back?" I ask the same on my mind.

His smiles changes this time from saddened to a bright happy smile. I like it, it fits him better. He looks down at me with a look of, adoration? He kneels down in front of me and grabs both of my hands in his.

"Darling, you're young and kind you don't deserve being in this situation and I want to succeed as mentor by bringing you back but also because when I met you we were children and I didn't know how I felt about you back then… but now I do." He stands up leaving me speechless.

What did he mean?

I stand up and make my way back to my room. I take a shower, well, as best as I can with all those buttons and it's advance system. Being buried in my new bed again I dreamed about little Finnick and me. Back on the beach laughing and playing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Making a French braid in the morning and putting on a green tank-top, black leggings and a creamed colored scarf around my neck, I emerge from my bedroom to the dining cart were we will have breakfast.

Unlike yesterday I was the only one there. I make my way back to the hall and knock on Everett's door. I can still smell his scent and that's how I know which room is his.

He answers on the fifth knock. His hair is messier than yesterday and he has bag under his eyes.

"Well don't you look handsome?" I say teasingly as I push pass him into the room. Sitting myself on his bed while he mutters: "come in."

"Why are you here?" He asks in an annoyed tone.

"You don't want me here?" I laugh. "Don't worry brother you probably won't see my face after the bloodbath." I make my way to the door but before I reach it he grabs me and hugs me tightly to him.

In his embrace I let tears slip. Thinking that those strong arms around are my father's I start to sob. The pressure finally falling on my shoulders. There's a chance that I won't live another day to see my family, a chance were I will probably kill innocent children, a chance in witnessing my brother's or others deaths.

"I can't take it, it's too much to bear!" I choke out.

"Annie I promise our family that you would go back to them, I know it will hurt them to lose a son but it will hurt them more if they lose the both of us." He is convincing me, I know him like the back of my hand. And if he succeeds I will never forgive myself.

"But I can't lose you knowing I could save you." I keep on sobbing into his chest feeling and hearing his heartbeat.

"I'm giving you a chance to live, Annie." He says.

"But what about you? Don't you want to live?" I'm asking him to reconsider his decision, he better think about his future but he doesn't.

"It'll be alright, I'll wait for you in heaven." He lets go of me and dries my tears.

"Go to breakfast I'll be right behind you." He grabs random clothes from the closet and turns to the bathroom.

As I close the door of his room I'm met with a feathery dress. I struggle to look at Valery's face which is covered by feathers.

"Oh dear I'm glad I found you, we need to get you out and ready were almost there. Come, let's go and have breakfast. Your brother will be out in a couples of minutes, right?" She speaks in incredible speed that I only caught the last words.

"Yes." I mumble.

She puts her little hand on my back and rushes me out to the dinning cart. I sit down next to her and start eating.

"Your mentor will just be a couple of minutes, you now a handsome guy like him needs his time in making himself more impossibly handsome." She reminds me of a bird. Her voice is pitch high and fast. It's impossible to have a conversation with her without asking her to repeat what she says.

"Oh I now you will love it! It will be the best week of your life! And the food, I can tell you can't live without food but you will love the food from the capitol I can assure you that and the best of all is that they give you this drink that makes you throw up so you can eat more, isn't it fantastic!" She rambles on and on, I can't help but pray that someone shows up.

It felt like hours until Everett came with Finnick right behind him, both with scowls on their faces. I can tell they have argued in the hallway, but I don't ask I'm just grateful I'm not alone with Valery anymore.

"Annie once we arrive at the Capitol I want you to smile, be friendly and don't complain when your prep team attacks you." Finnick says while popping a sugar cube into his mouth.

"What do you mean 'attack me'?" I ask not knowing what he means.

"They'll skin you alive." He responds sipping his coffee, at least that's what I think it is.

"Oh Finny darling your making the capitol citizen sound like monsters!" Reproaches Valery.

He mutters something but I can't make it out. Kendra finally leaves her cave, sitting herself next to Valery. Everybody eats in silence; the only sound that can be heard is my humming. Singing my favorite song from a tale that's very popular in district four. Kendra looks at me a small smile on her lips as she starts humming with me. Valery is looking at us expectantly, as if she wants to know what we are doing.

"Were here…" Everett whispers to me.

And sure enough I soon hear the faint cheer of a crowd growing bigger by the second until it's a loud roar of cheering capitol freaks. They look even worse than Valery. She's pretty compared to them. They wear pounds of makeup, bodies covered with tattoos, wigs or dyed hair, weird clothing and other things that I can't even describe.

"I had nightmares when I first saw them." Kendra says to me. I don't know why she says that, after all she goes on dates with them. Finnick laughs at her comment and says.

"You did too?" So he too makes fun of them, when he still takes out every girl that lives here.

Valery is looking angry at their little exchange; I don't blame her since I too would've been angry if someone talked bad about my people but since I'm not a capitol citizen, I don't mind. After all they aren't normal.

We rise from our seats making our way to the train door. As soon as the doors open I get blinded by all the flashes of the cameras, I grimaced by the loud noise that comes out of the annoying "people", feeling like I could become deaf. Remembering what Finnick said to me I smile immediately to hide my hatred. The tributes from five to twelve are yet to come. Most of the women are screaming for Finnick while he just winks, smiles and waves.

Finnick and Kendra walk away while me and Everett are pushed by Valery in another direction. She leads us to an elevator were we are taking to an unknown floor.

"Okay darlings you're going to meet your prep team and later you will be presented to your stylist, when your more decent!" She says

The doors open revealing three people. Two men and one woman, who instantly grabs me and leads me away.

I'm laid down on a metal bed; they ripped my clothes and throw them away. The blood red haired man starts washing my body, touching places that he shouldn't. I want to break his wrist for touching me but I lay as still as a statue ignoring their compliments. They shaved any unwanted hair; in fact they rip all the hair off of my body, except my mane of brunette hair on my head of course. The woman starts to undo my braid so that she can wash my hair. I can feel myself slipping away as she washes my hair, just like my mom used to made me feel when she braid it. They use this substance to erase all the scars on my body. I had one little scar next to my left eye, it was hardly noticeable but every time I smile she would appear, I adored it but now she's gone, my little friend, that's what I named it. They leave me right after my hair was dry and curled.

I wait for what feels like hours until a woman barges in.

She's shorter than me and she has black hair with bright pink highlights. She has a cream simple dress and high heels. Her makeup is light, she actually looks normal.

"Hi sweetie, I'm sorry if I kept you waiting." Her voice is so soft I struggle to hear it. "I can see what everybody's been talking about, well you're the spitting image of Aphrodite!"

"Is that everything this capitol people like in their tributes? Beauty?" I ask.

"If the tribute has beauty and if the capitol likes him or her, then the others are out of the map." She responds. "And that's how you will have a chance in coming back, I will help you and you would be the center of attention in opening ceremony."

'I hope not' I think.

"I'm Armani by the way." She says.

"Stand up!" She exclaims softly. I do as I'm told as she inspects me with her dark blue eyes. She circles around me telling me to shift positions a couple of time until she asks.

"They didn't do too much, did they?"

"Huh?" I look at her questioningly. But she ignores me and then retrieves a dress from a black bag.

"I've been reading classic stories of your district and I decided that you and your brother will be the King and Queen of the sea." She says excitedly. She hands me two thin sheets about 5 inches wide that changes from blue to white and then transparent. She puts one on my right shoulder and the other on my left shoulder both pilling on the floor like water. I'm thankful when she crossed them over my breast and placing a small and delicate golden rope on my hip holding the thin sheets in place. She kneels down in front of me arranging the sheets correctly to hide my private parts. When she finished covering me with only half of the sheet in the front, she then moved to my back where she expanded the sheets making then longer and wider.

She sat me on the edge of the bed where she started with my curly brown locks. Dividing my hair in two sections with a line from behind my left ear to my right she tied my hair behind my back and divided in five parts the other section. Each five piece of my front hair section was braided in small braids with a small golden ribbon string involved in the braid, all pinned together on the top of my head. Letting loose the rest of my hair she sprayed it.

She then moved to my makeup. From what I could see she grabbed blue makeup before I had to close my eyes. After she was done with the makeup she handed me jewelry. Especially rings I had one in each finger.

"Oh darling they would fall for you, you look stunning." She says her voice trembles slightly. "Before I forget I need to tell you that this is the capitol and there's no normal here. Your dress, well, there actually waves."

I don't dare respond. Is she kidding? How can that be possible?

"As soon as the wind hits you, the sheets will transform to water and they will look and sound like waves crashing on the shore." She says smiling.

I hug and thank her before she takes me to we're she says the opening ceremony will take place. While we're on the elevator ride we are joined by the district three tributes and their stylist. There outfits are pure wire.

We reach the last floor were all the others tributes are practically clinging to their chariots. Armani leads me to my chariot which is with cream colored pearls glued to it. Four white horses in front of it.

Kendra, Finnick and Everett are already there. Everett is holding a golden trident just like the King in the fairy-tale of our district. Kendra is the first one to see us approaching since she is facing us.

"You look beautiful!" She gasps.

The others turn around to face me. Finnick looks like his been hypnotized staring at me, even though I know I look beautiful I want to rip of the sheets, wash away all the makeup and free my hair from the tight braids.

"Well, at least I know I'm not the only one covered in sheets." Everett says playing with his trident. I take a step back not wanting to get hit.

Kendra manages to stop Everett from playing with his trident and starts giving him advice on how to make an impression.

"Sugar cube?" Turning back to Finnick I see how his hand is extended towards me with three sugar cubes in it. I smile at him as I take one. His skin is warm and soft, just like it was when we hold hands on the train.

"How can I make an impression?" I ask him but he just snorts.

"You'll hardly have to do anything with that costume of yours, just smile and flirt and wave and wink and laugh and act like you like the attention and having the time of your life." He rambles as he pops sugar cubes after sugar cubes in his mouth. I laugh and pat his cheek.

He smiles down at me and for the first time I see the dimples on his cheeks.

"Awn, you have dimples!" I squeak without thinking. When I realize what I said and how I said it I slap a hand on my mouth while he laughs. His laugh is contagious and after a couple of seconds I crack up to. I'm sure that from distance we must look like gorgeous, sugar cube eaters, laughing idiots.

"You notice them now?" He ask after our laughter dies down.

"I'm not a very observant person." I respond.

"Then we'll have to change that." He purrs, I feel myself melt on the inside but of course I won't admit it.

"Annie come here! I forgot the final touch!" Armani shouts as loud as she cans. Once I reach her she attacks my hair with creamy, ruff little particles; sand.

"I'm so sorry I forgot. Oh how unprofessional of me!" She shouts, clearly upset with herself.

"It's okay." I reassure her to which she smiles thankfully.

Finnick helps me in the chariot giving me a thumbs-up before leaving with Kendra. Both of our stylists start to fiddle with the sheets joining mine with Everett's so it looks bigger.

"Just remember to smile and wave, the outfit will do the rest!" Everett's stylist says.

The first chariot to emerge is from district 1; I can hear the cheer of the crowd though it's muffled. Then district two follows it and soon enough district three does to.

"Are you nervous?" Armani asks to which I nod immediately. "Don't be." She manages to say before our horses push forward.

The sound of cheering crowd isn't muffled anymore but a definite roar, like a lion's. There are more people, desperate to see this year's tributes. They seem to be pushing each other, crawling on top of the other like cockroaches. But then I hear it. They chant my name. Everett's name. Our district. I look up to one of the screens and see water behind us. Like Armani said, the sheets transformed into water and the wind makes it look like waves trailing behind us, cleaning, leaving a trail of clean road before their covered with roses again.

It's beautiful. I can now feel the water on my back, hear it and it comforts me. I feel like I'm back home listening to the waves on the beach. My hair is wet now, making the sand more noticeable. I smile and look at my brother. He's waving and smiling. He grabs a red rose and hands it to me, kissing my cheek. The crowd seemed to love that little sibling moment.

Our horses stop too soon in front of the President's Mansion. He stands up and waves at the crowd before he looks down at us. Our outfits are back to being just sheets again.

"Welcome! Tributes! We welcome you because of your courage and sacrifice. And may the odds be ever in your favor!" President Snow says, looking at every single one of us. His eyes linger on our chariot probably because we made the best impression.

Our horses retreat and we again, wave and smile with the waves trailing behind us. Once I step out of the chariot I am hugged by a very excited Valery.

"Oh you were the most beautiful of all; you put every woman to shame with your looks!" She praises.

Finnick hugs me saying that I did a good job and there are already sponsors calling him. Of course they would sponsor me; the capitol citizens will do anything to spend 5 minutes with my mentor.

When we reach the building were we would stay for the week, I sigh with relief. The pounding in my head decreasing. Our floor is the fourth. It looks like a fancy beach house, the floor is made out of wood, all the furniture is district four alike but still it has a touch of the capitol. The only thing ruining it is what you see pass the window; it's not a beach but a city. All I can think is about the other previous tributes that stood, ate , slept, lived in here. An only 22 of them made it back. I can almost hear them, feel them. I hold onto my brother's hand, I never liked spirits or ghosts. There are women in sea green robes in every corner of the apartment, it's spooky.

Armani takes me to my room where she helps me take of the makeup, my 'dress' and undoing my hair. My scalp hurts so much from having my hair in tight braids for a long time.

I take a shower, washing my hair and massaging my scalp. Getting rid of the wet sand I use some strawberry shampoo. Its scent fills the whole room and the walls are wet from the hot water I'm using.

After I step out if the shower and dry myself and my hair I put on a white robe that was hanging on the door.

As I step out of the room I hit a rock hard chest. I stumble back slightly.

"You did a better impression than me you know?" Finnick laughs. I look up at him as he grabs me by the shoulder and leads me to dinner.

"But you were fourteen back then!" We reach the dining room, Finnick and I sat next to each other.

"We have to watch the tribute parade again! Well I don't know if you want to but I know I do!" Valery's shrieks are getting to my last nerve. Finnick puts his hand on my knee, rubbing it gently. I guess he saw that I almost exploded. Now I know why Kendra is so annoyed by Valery.

Armani and my brother's stylist join us on dinner. The man has his hair died in an electric blue color and haves white mascara, eye shadow and eye liner on his eyes, he has chocolate skin. I still don't know his name.

"Both of your prep teams will be here in an hour." Informs Armani.

We all eat and our stylist start to talk about the costumes of the other tributes. I learned that Everett's stylist is named Valentine and that he calls Everett, Evie. I laugh because I used that same nickname to annoy him when we were little.

When both of our prep teams arrive we sit and watch the tribute parade. But not before they complement and hug and kiss me. We are laughing and joking that we actually look like one weird big happy family. That thought makes me think about my own family. They must be glad they saw us still alive and well.

After one long day we all retreat to our bedrooms, to get a long night's sleep. Tomorrow is a big day. My first day of training.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When I wake up someone is shaking me. I open my eyes to see Finnick's smiling face. When I first saw him on T.V I imagine him being vain and arrogant but he is so sweet and layback.

"Hey there sleeping beauty, it's time to wake up and go to training." He says it as if he was talking to a child. I roll over so my back is facing him.

"I don't want to go I want to stay here… this bed is so comfy." I say half asleep and half awake.

I hear shuffling, he is probably thinking of a way to get me out of bed. But he just throws something on my face. I sigh sitting up and retrieving the cloth of off my face. It's a plain black T-shirt and long black leggings.

"That is your training clothes." He opens the bathroom door and motions for me to go in.

"I'll wait out here." He adds.

In the bathroom I put the training outfit on, realizing it's tight. I wonder if the boys would have leggings on the training center. I laugh at the image of big scary careers boys in leggings, they would like big ballerinas.

"What about the shoes?" I ask once I'm out of the bathroom.

"Boots? Over there." He motions to the closet.

I pick up the boots and examine them. They reach my ankles and are completely black, it's seem to be made out of some elastic material, there really flexible.

"So you said you're good with any wea-" He starts but I cut him off with a simple "Yes".

"Well see about that." He says with a playful smile. "Anyways I want you to learn about survivals skill, how to make a fire, classify the plants, you can even go to the knot station if you get bored. But don't ignore the survival skills, most of the careers will go to any weapons station, but I would like it more if you concentrate on the survivals skill today, on the sceond day you can do anything you want. Oh and one more thing, make sure you and your brother get in with the careers." He says it like I'm not his first tribute; he actually looks like a professional. I stare at him wide eyed, he's just one year older than me and he is wiser.

"What?" He asks.

"For your first time you're doing good. You know, caring, for the…tribute." I say.

"I'm just repeating my mentor's wise words." He laughs. Now that makes more sense.

"Who was your mentor?" I ask. There so many victors back at four, so guessing won't help.

"Mags" Is his awnser. Mags brought home most of the victors back at four. I think she was district four very first victor, winning 9th hunger games. She' like 75 years-old now.

"Maybe I will introduce you to her once you come back." I love how confident he sounds. I wish I was that confident about coming home, the one thing holding me back is my brother.

He takes me to the elevator at nine-after we had breakfast-were my brother is already waiting. And no they don't wear leggings.

"Remember what I told you." It's the only thing he says before the elevator doors close and I'm alone with Everett.

"What are you going to do?" He is looking at me threw the mirror of the elevator. I finished the messy bun I was making before I respond.

"I'm going for survivals… you?" I ask him. I suppose Kendra knew what Finnick's move was going to be and told Everett a different startegie.

"I will practice with spears, make an alliance with the careers at lunch and then I will probably keep you company in whatever it is that you're going to do." He smiles.

"Okay well after lunch we'll go to the knot station?" I ask, thankfully he won't leave me alone all day. He nods.

We join the other tributes that are lining up waiting for Atala to start her speech. When all the tributes are here she starts to explain each and every station. The only rule is not to fight with the other tributes. The boy from one is big; if you're close to him you will feel like an elf. He's name is Isidore. He has blonde hair and hazel eyes.

When Atala finishes, I see how he walks to the sword station and practically beheads every dummy. Swinging the sword with brute force. I admit it, he's good, but I can do better.

I decide to go to the fire making station. I grab some sticks that are laid around the little forest-like section. The trainer shows me how to make a fire and explains different techniques.

"You would need fire in the arena but it could expose you to the other tributes at the same time." He says.

I can tell Everett got in very well with the careers. He's throwing spear after spear at every single one of the dummies, without missing. The spear is always aimed at the head and the heart. The careers are watching him with satisfied expression as if he's just a toy they would use before they kill him. Cadmus notices me watching them and looks at me with a disgusted face. He expects me to be with them instead of here, making a silly fire. I bet he thinks of me as a weakling who depends on her big, strong brother and if I'm right then they'll try to use me against him if I don't show them who I'm really are.

I stand up not caring what Finnick said about survivals skill and practically stump my way towards them. I stand behind Ruby, the district one female, who tries to shoot and arrow at the targets and failed terribly.

Everett stares at me questionably but I don't acknowledge him. Grabbing the bow and the arrow, placing the arrow on the bow and pulling back, I don't even aim before the arrow shoots threw the air piercing the dummy. The other arrows I throw land on the heart or on the head. I put the bow back on its place before going over to the edible plants station.

I showed them that I'm not defenseless, that's good for now. The bow is not my favorite but it look elegant and they now know I'm deadly at distance. They won't use me as my brother's weak spot, when in reality it's the other way around. He is my weak spot.

I don't want to show them that I can use every weapon, if they see what I could do now; they would see me as a threat and no doubt turn on me on the bloodbath.

There so much different types if plants, some are deadly and others are edibles but some of them look so similar you can't tell the difference. Same with the insects. There's no way I'm going to remember this once I'm in the arena.

I walk over to the camouflage station. I always was interested in painting but I never really got a chance to actually practice back at home. The woman at the station seems surprised to have a career tribute at her station. She is actually very welcoming and down to earth.

She teaches me the basic first, seeing as I know nothing about camouflage. At first she does most of the job but then she takes my hand and shows me how to do it, slowly I become good at it. After about an hour of painting my hand I admire it.

You can clearly see that I'm thinking of home since I painted my hand the color of the sand. It looks so real that I'm afraid if I touch it, it will collapse like a sand castle being kicked by a toddler.

Atala blows her whistle signaling lunch.

I pick a salad with a bottle of water. I know once I go back to training I can't have my stomach that full.

I wait for my brother who is waiting patiently on the line. The careers were behind him so he got to choose the table were they would eat. I follow him, sitting down next to him.

"I thought you were sticking with the survival skills." He says.

"Well I couldn't help it; Cadmus was looking at me like I was some weak tribute!" I whisper harshly.

"Yes, well… I know how much you hate it when someone thinks wrong about you." He manages to say before the careers make it to the table.

I feel like I'm suffocating when Cadmus sits down next to me. To close for my liking. They start making jokes about the other tributes, laughing. Even Everett seems to like the conversation; the only one that doesn't talk its big girl. Dakota is her name. She is glaring at me, looking at me as if she knows I'm hiding something. I think I would love to see her and Marissa fighting, hopefully both would get injured.

"Why are you wasting your time on those stupid stations. I mean, camouflage really?" Cadmus asks me.

"I'm not really wasting my time… I'm actually learning stuff I don't know." I respond. I have already eaten half of my salad without noticing.

"How does it help?" Ruby asks me, her brown eyes sparkling.

"I think I heard Atala said how and why this morning." I respond, acting as if I'm trying to remember. My statement makes her look stupid and she blushes.

"What else can you do?" I hear a rough voice ask. I turn my head slightly looking at Isidore. It's the very first time I heard him talk, well, at me. I look at Everett for help, I mean, they are bombarding me with questions. But he keeps looking down at his food, he looks worried. 'Great.' I thought. He's on his own little world trapped.

"Just the bow." I lie. This makes Cadmus look disappointed. I don't think that's normal for a district two tribute, well I guess he still haves some humanity left in him.

"Is Everett in an alliance with you?" I ask them noticing that Everett seems to struggle from the internal battle in his mind.

They look at me like I'm crazy before responding. It's better if they think of me as the crazy one, Everett is a very sentimental person. I always feel like I'm protecting him when I blame myself when he does something bad. I don't understand myself.

"Will you join us?" They had asked and I had agreed before we were taking back inside to continue our training.

Atala makes us line up for The Gauntlet. The row is in the order of our age, me and Everett are one of the last, being eighteen.

Tributes fall and stumble as the trainers throw padded clubs at them. Isidore uses his long legs that gives him more advantage but he still haves muscles which slows them down. Ruby jumps like a grasshopper dogging every object thrown in her direction. Dakota is the opposite, she knocks down every club that she can reach while she runs towards the end of the Gauntlet.

As promised, Everett took me to the knot-tying station, where we finally had some sibling bonding. Making nets with him reminded me of the evenings I would spend with my mother weaving nets for my father to fish.

When we get tired and still there are a couple of more hours here in training I let Everett take me to where the careers are. He starts to challenge me but when I reject him he calls me chicken. Oh how I want to make him eat those words, but I keep on my act of unprofessional career.

Everett really seems to be up for a challenge and does hand-to-hand combat with a trainer. I stan by watching the other tributes. I spot the District 10 male tribute; he's staring at the swords longingly. Stupid move. Now I know what his weapon is, it is only a matter of time before he gets it.

Finally training is over; I practically ran out if the room when Atala blew her whistle. Back on our floor I was itching to get a shower. I ignore everyone and enter my room, taking my clothes off immediately and stepping in the shower. I stayed in there for like half an hour just standing there, feeling the hot water relaxing my muscles before stepping out and drying myself. I walk over to the bed and sit down on it.

What kind of arena I'm going to be thrown into? I wonder to myself. Last year it was a swamp, most of the tributes that year died from natural causes and some were eaten by alligators the game makers created. I think this year's arena is going to be worse, but I still hope I'm wrong.

I almost jump of the bed when I hear a knock on the door. I desperately cover myself with the sheets of my bed. I don't know why I'm reacting this way; I've already been naked in front of four people. But what if it's Everett or Finnick?

"Come in." I say when I'm sure every inch of my body is covered.

The door opens revealing Kendra. She smiles when she sees me but I have a feeling it's because of how she found me. Closing the door behind her she sits on the edge of my bed. I look at her expectantly.

"I figured you could use some company." She says. "I already talked to Everett and since Finnick is not here yet, maybe you want to tell me how it went."

"Finnick's not here?" Now that I remember I didn't saw him when I returned from training.

"He has some business to attend to." She answers my question. What kind of business? Is he getting me sponsors?

"It went well, I did what he told me." I don't mention when I touched the bow.

"That's it?" She ask me in disbelieve. Yeah, I guess I should have describe more.

"Well I learned a little bit of the edible plants and insects." I say remembering how I struggled to learn about them.

"I know what you're talking about, I got nailed to." She laughs. A couple of time passes before she says:

"I always wanted to be a brunette." She grabs a piece of my hair, twirling it around her finger.

"I always wanted to be a blond." I lie.

"We can never have what we want." She then stands up and leaves me alone in my room. Sadly, what she said is true. I would never have a life thanks to the hunger games.

When I get dressed, I go to dinner. Valery is excited for this year's games, I don't know why. She as usual rambles on and on about it while everyone just eats in silence. I don't think she has ever touched her food this time; she talks and forgets about everything around her. Is talking her hobby? She sure makes it seem that way

Finnick is still not around. It feels weird but I'm impatient, I want him to come now. I miss him… I haven't seen him since this morning and it's almost eight.

Eventually Armani joins in dinner. I think she has been designing my dress for the interviews. I wonder if my dress will be made out of waves again.

"Where have you been?" I ask her.

"I'm planning your next dress" I knew it!

"You're going to love it, it will become a masterpiece." She says.

If she thinks I will love than it has to be something rare. But I'm not the one for designs so when I come up with ideas they come out pretty lame. If I was a stylist, I wouldn't make a cent out of my designs but she surely can. She told me that there a lot of freaks that wants to buy my costume from the tributes parade.

"What?" I yelled, I loved that dress even if I didn't show it and I wanted to keep it as a memory if I survived the arena.

"I can do anything about it, it's the president who decides." She said sadly.

"Well that sucks…" I grumble.

Valery changes her wigs every day, when I met her she had a big white wig, now it's a bright scarlet color. Her clothes is till the same style but obviously she's decent enough to change it.

I remember when Finnick said this morning. I can't wait to get my hands on the weapons tomorrow, but then I remember that I used the bow today. Now I have to use the bow in the arena. Dammit!

I'm alone in the living room, the only sound in the whole apartment is the television. I'm watching some odd funny movie and everyone is sleeping except maybe Armani who must be cutting and measuring.

"Once I start I can't stop." She had said to me when I almost got her to spill the surprise.

I know what she means, once I start weaving I can't stop, I start feeling tired or hungry but I still don't stop weaving.

I hear some noise from the other side of the room. I turn around noticing Finnick stumbling inside.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Finnick looks like he has been robed. His tuxedo is wrinkled, his shirt is unbuttoned and he smells weird. But worse of all, he's drunk. So this is the meaning of business for him?

"You didn't have to wait for me darling." He splutters.

"I wasn't waiting for you!" I half yelled. Why is he getting himself drunk? How is that helping him in getting me sponsors? "Why are you drunk?" I ask him. He was walking over to the table before turning quickly.

"Because I need to fucking forget about them!" He yells throwing a glass at me, I dodge it easily but that's because he's drunk and therefore he doesn't have that good of an aim.

"Who are you trying to forget?" I yell back at him, exasperated. Is he trying to forget his many lovers?

He turns his back to me, stumbling over his own feet making him fall flat on his face. I quickly rush over to him grabbing both of his arms before hauling him up. God is he heavy. I curse as I drag him to his bedroom, what does he eats?

Practically throwing him on the bed I take of his shoes and socks throwing them towards the corner of the bedroom. It's 1:00 am and I can't believe I'm in Finnick's room slowly undressing him. I take of his coat but I leave him in his shirt. I don't remove any more clothes.

He has his eyes close and his lips are slightly parted. I know can see what his muscles are like, those that were always hidden by his clothes. He has a six-pack which is barely noticeable in the dim light along with a V-line. The rhythm of his breathing is slow and peaceful.

"Why are you so close to me? I'm a dirty person." I hear him say. I look up to see his sea green eyes open and looking at me.

"You're not dirty." I smile at him, he looks so much like a sick child right now and I feel like the worried mother.

"You're a sweet, funny and caring young adult. You have a very big heart Finnick." I say caressing his cheek with my hand. He wraps his arm around my waist pushing me down towards him. Our faces are now inches apart. I blink rapidly; I can feel butterflies inside my stomach. I try to pull back but he keeps a firm hold on me and strangely I like that he won't let me escape.

"You smell like candy… I like it." He confesses realizing his tight hold on me slightly. I lay my head on his chest; our breathing is on the same rhythm. I feel him burry his face in my hair.

"I hate them. I hate him." He says. Who is hurting him? He doesn't deserve to be tortured.

"Who do you hate, Fin?" God what is wrong with me I have never been this soft to anyone. My family are the only ones that know this side, I always try to appear indifferent to all the others.

"He is a devil… he makes me f**k all those girls." He splutters.

My mouth drops open. So Finnick Odair never really was interested in all those capitol women. He was forced in being this kind of men, no wonder how different he treated me when he treats every other women with a vain seductive personality. This famous face of Panem is a lost broken soul. Who would do this to a victor? He was just fourteen when he won, was he forced onto this life right after he won?

I start thinking of men with power who has the pants to manipulate him. I would gladly kill them. It can't possibly be a sponsor, maybe a game maker? No.

I look at his poor gorgeous drunken face and kiss his forehead. His eyes are closed but I can tell he is still awake. He had to go through so much. I remember back when I was fifteen and he was sixteen, that his family died on a shipwreck. It was one rare death but nobody dares to speak up. He has no family except his fellow victors. I know he adores Mags and he thinks of her as her mother. I want so badly to comfort him but I just don't know how.

His lips are so close yet so far at the same time. My heart is telling me that he's the one but my mind is afraid that he won't feel the same for me. I want so badly to kiss his lips and confess to him my feelings know that I understand them. 'I better do it if I'm not coming back' I think. He looks harmless while he sleeps, but when he slept in his arena his positions was in alert mode even while he slept, he's smart I'll give him that, that way other tributes would think he was wide awake while in reality he was practically snoring.

I lean over. I'm practically straddling him now, making sure he's asleep even if he doesn't remember our little conversation in the morning; I finally press my lips over his. There soft and warm but he still smells like alcohol. My heart swells up and I know it's confirmed. Finnick Odair has won my attention and love. Oh I'm so stupid.

I got 7 hours of sleep. I wake up lying on top of Finnick. He still in deep sleep, this morning was the best of my whole life. I kissed him and then woke up next to him in the same bed. Ugh this is not good, I have to concentrate on the games. I have to come back for him. I have to.

Retreating out of the bed before he wakes up I walk over to the door. He was drunk so surely he won't remember anything, I sigh, that's the closest I can get to him. Tribute and mentor don't fit together. Especially if one is not coming back.

I go to my room and take a shower. Once I'm done I put my training clothes and go to breakfast. I walk past an avox. I had asked Valery why they were here and she gladly explained to me why. Poor girls, it must be terrible to have your tongue cut. Everett is already there talking with Kendra. Valery is nowhere to be seen thankfully.

"Can you give me advice?" I cut Everett in the middle of his question. Both turn to me but I'm only looking at Kendra.

"On training?" She asked me, I nod.

"Finnick said I'm free to do anything I want today, but I'm not sure." I inform her. Finnick. I remember what he said to me while he was drunk and I feel a tug at my heart.

"Well I told Everett to go to one of the survival station, can you make sure he does?" I nod. "Good, well I think you should practice your weapon skills and… you should go back to edible plants station since you learned nothing about them yesterday." She says.

"Why are you asking her for advice? You got your own mentor." Everett asks me. I laugh at him, he sounds jealous.

"He's knock down." Is my response. Kendra shots out of her seat, eyes wide with panic.

"What did he do?" She half yells and half asks me. She looks seriously worried and Everett looks annoyed. What? Is he sick that we are always talking about or to Finnick?

"When he arrived he was drunk." I tell her. She walks down the hall towards he's room. I hear the door being thrown open but I can't make out anything else.

"What kind of mentor is he? Oh wait right; he's still just a kid." Everett says with an arrogant tone.

Who does Everett think he is? But most importantly why does he hate Finnick so much? I'm getting slightly annoyed by him. I feel defensive instantly; I don't want anybody talking bad about my Fin, not even my brother. Wow 'my Fin' nice job you already sound possessive Annie.

"What are you talking about, you're one year younger than him and if he's a kid than you are more of a kid than he is. Beside you don't know what his life is like." I glare at him. He doesn't understand that he is being force into doing something he doesn't want to do. I want to explain him his situation but I'm not going to be a big mouth and then get myself into trouble, I've had enough trouble with my stupid decision in using the bow and arrow on training.

"Why are you defending him?" He asks me glaring right back at me but I ignore him and start eating my breakfast for the sake of both of us. He stands up and I think he's going to leave but he just grabs me by the arm and hauls me up.

"What is your problem?" I snap at him, almost ready to slap him.

"My problem is that I don't want you spending any more time with him, in fact I would love to switch mentors… I saw you enter his room." He says. Why would he be awake at that hour? But how come I didn't saw him when we were passing his room.

"And I didn't saw you come out. Annie what are you thinking? I'm here fighting for you and for me but all you do is go to Odair's room and spend the night with him!" he yells at me and I know he is right and I'm ashamed of myself. Falling for a womanizer when I'm going to fight to the death in a couple of days.

"I'm sorry I just don't… I'm sorry, please." He hugs me when I gasp desperately trying to get air into my lungs. I keep trying to take deep breaths of air but it feels like I'm slurping the air threw a straw. Little air comes in and I push my brother away, I begin to feel dizzy and my vision blurs. I must be starting to change colors because my brother start yelling at an avox to help him.

Kendra and a sleepy Finnick come to see why is Everett is yelling. I fall to the floor feeling weak, I can't see clearly, all I can see is a big light with blurry colors surrounding me. I feel shaky but strong arms wrap around me making me suffocate even more.

"What is wrong with, with her?" I hear Finnick say. So I guess he's the one holding me. What did Kendra did to him to make him sober so fast.

I keep gasping for air, feeling weaker by the second. Looks like my time has come, I think. I can hear the faint sound of sobbing. Dark starts to engulf me rapidly. I have never been this long without air and I know I only have seconds left. I let the last tears I would ever shed run down my cheeks. Closing my eyes I wait for my last seconds to run out. I would miss my mother dearly same with my father and little Carol. I want Everett to win and live his life like I wanted to live mine. I would look out for them in heaven. And I would miss Finnick the most, so little time we had with each other and so fast I fell for him.

I can almost make out a bright white light at the end of this dark tunnel. It gets bigger and brighter as I get closer to it. I start feeling peace and happiness fill my heart and mind. I want to get to it faster but everything is going in slow motion. When I finally reach it I can see the shadow of a hand. Looking up I see the hand reaching towards me. I step on my toes and stretch myself reaching towards it too. My palm and the palms of the other hand connects. But the hands pushes me back and then I'm falling in the abyss but before I come back to my body I hear a voice say.

"It's not your time." The voice is peaceful and I fall in love with it instantly.

I gasp when I feel something dig itself in my throat. Instantly I feel air fill my lungs, but I'm not satisfied and keep taking deep gulps of air. I open my eyes when I hear a sigh of relief. The first thing I see is a pair of sea green orbs looking right back at me. Finnick has dark circles under his eyes from tiredness and fresh tears on his cheeks. He laughs with relief when I open my eyes. He hugs me tightly to him not caring if he inflicts me damage, but that's okay because I don't care either.

I feel happy but disappointed to know that I'm still here and alive. I feel disappointed because I will still have to face the games and happy because I can spend more time with Finnick.

"Oh thank god!" I hear Kendra gasp in relief.

"You scare me to death Annie." Everett says. He looks just as exhausted as Finnick.

Finnick picks me up and carries me to my bedroom. He has one strong arm supporting my back and another carrying my legs. I dry his tears and smile at him, he smiles back.

"How come your sober this fast?" I can still feel pain in my neck. There's dry blood all over my neck, chest and even on my breast.

"Kendra worked her magic on me." He joked. He sits me on the bed and as soon as he takes a step away from me Everett practically tackles me.

He hugs me and I him, feeling happy to be with my brother again. I know he feels guilty, he thinks that he caused this attack to fall upon me.

"Get out boys I need to put her in fresh clothes and treat her wound." Kendra says dragging both of them out since they are both reluctant.

She first treats my wound with an avox helping her. I just block them out and stay accompanied by my thoughts. I really like the idea of being in heaven. It would bring me peace and happiness and I would forever remain young. I would join my grandfathers and be in a world where they don't make you kill other children.

"Come on let's get you cleaned up." Kendra says helping me strip my clothes down and stepping into the shower.

"Wash and dry these, she still needs to go to training." Kendra said to the avox girl. She nods and disappears behind the door.

"I didn't know you were asthmatic." Kendra says with a light laugh.

"I didn't either." I tell her, I didn't really thought I was, it just had to come on that precise moment, maybe it was something I ate here in the capitol.

"Well that's one more thing you will have to worry about in the arena." She says.

Yes, one more thing to worry about in the arena, just what I needed! Damn, the odds are never in my favor.

She helps me dry myself grabs the only training outfit I have left. She puts me in it and she puts my socks and shoes. She had wrapped a bandage on my neck.

"Who dug a hole in my neck?" I ask Kendra sweetly. If it was Everett I would do the same to him and see how he like it's.

She laughs. "That was Finnick."

Him! Oh wow he must care for me so much!

"Everett was going crazy, the poor child didn't know what to do, and Finnick…" She trails of staring into space.

"And Finnick what?" I rush her. What did Finnick do?

" He was crying, no, sobbing. He looked heartbroken. He started panicking trying to figure out what was wrong with you until he snapped and then he grabbed a fork and stabbed you." She says looking at me with a smile on her lips.

I knew Finnick was crying but did he feels the same way I feel about him. Was dying necessary to awaken those feelings within him?

"You feel something for him don't you?" I don't respond but I do blush and with that she leaves me in the bathroom looking satisfied.

I'm already late for training and I'm almost at the elevator when I feel and arm wrap itself around my waist and pull me back against a hard and define chest.

"Where do you think you're going?" He breathes, his lips almost touching my bare shoulders.

"To training." I almost whisper. I can't be this close to him now. Did he somehow remember me kissing him and decides to tease me by using his famous mask.

"Not without having breakfast." He leads me towards the place I almost died an hour earlier.

"But I'm already late and Everett is alone down there." I try to protest.

"He's not alone." He mutters. Looks like my brother and my love are nemesis.

He serves me a plate full of breakfast. I know I love food but let's not exaggerate it. He treats me like a baby by filling the spoon with food and feeding me himself. I'm sure I have an annoyed expression on my face because he laughs every time he looks at it.

"I almost lost it when you di-, you were so close to leaving this world…" He says with a sad expression. "so close…".

I decide to ignore his statement even though it hurts me to know that he was hurt.

"What would they have done if they lost a tribute before the games?" I ask him. He looks at me with pain in his eyes. He's sad that I choose a different road for this conversation.

"I don't know, that has never happened before." He shakes his head. "You should go to training, I'll see you tonight and we'll talk about your private session with the gamemakers tomorrow."

I stand up and turn around slowly. Walking to the elevator I turn my head slightly so I can see him out of my peripheral vision. He has his head in his hand as if he has a headache. I wait until the elevator doors open revealing me to all those inside the training room.

As I walk pass some tributes they look at me strangely and I know it's because of the bandages Kendra used to stop my bleeding and help my healing process. I ignore them as I walk but they keep staring at me until I snap.

"What? You never saw a person with a bandage on the neck? Well you'll see worse in the arena once I get my hands on you!" I yell at them and they instantly go back to whatever stupid thing there doing. I got to admit that felt good. I feel like a bully now, maybe I'm slowly turning into an ugly Marissa.

Everett again is at the spear section, spearing anything in sight. The careers are on other weapons station, all except for one.

"What happened to you?" Cadmus asks me, his eyes on my bandages. His voice is rough as always.

I can't tell him 'I just almost died today because I had an asthma attack' directly. He would surely kill me on the bloodbath. So I will have to lie.

"I was practicing with Everett and he accidentally cut me, guess I wasn't fast enough on that blow." I say confidently.

"Then why so many bandages for one simple cut?" He asks me. God, did you wanted to be a host on a television show when you were older?

"I don't like showing my blood so I put more so the blood won't be noticeable." I say before pushing past him and going straight over to Everett. I would drag him by the ear to the survival stations if I have to.

I stand behind him and when he is ready to throw another spear I grab the behind of the weapon preventing him from throwing it. He turns his head when he can't release the spear. His eyes are glaring when they connect with mine but they immediately soften when he realizes who he's looking at.

"Would you let go?" He asks me softly. But I don't let go and make him surrender it.

"Did you went to the survival stations?" I ask him, my face showing no emotion.

He stares straight ahead keeping quiet, confirming my suspicions. He didn't.

I grab his hand and lead him to the edible insects and plants section. He reads the insects book, while I sit next to him reading the plants book. I remember have of them which I'm grateful. Everett looks like he needs help but I don't have to do anything because the trainer helps him and gives him tips on how to remember.

I keep reading and memorizing the plants until Everett tells me to switch books. The insects are easier to remember than the plants and I have them memorized in an hour. I wait for Everett to get bored because I know he's not trying to memorize but it's worth the shot.

Next I take him to my favorite station. Camouflage. I greet the trainer with a happy 'hello'. She asks me about my bandages and I tell her it was an accident and then I present her to my brother. She gladly shows him the basic like she did with me. Telling him how to find or make the paint in the arena. I start to paint my hand but this time I use camouflage for rocks.

The hour passes and Everett seems to enjoy what he is doing. I'm glad that he can actually enjoy doing something that doesn't include weapons. I look at the weapon stations, I want to walk over there and grab my favorite weapon. But it's not there. I can and know how to use any weapon but I prefer the Sais or the Kamas. Guess I would have to stick with the bow and arrow during the alliance.

I then take him to the fire making station. Where I just sit and watch as the trainer shows him how to do it. After a couple of minutes he has it under control. He is warned of the advantages and disadvantages just like I was the day before.

When we go to lunch, again we sit with the careers.

"I could see him shaking like gelatin!" said Isidore. It was supposed to be a joke but I don't get it.

Everett is flirting with the little blonde, I mean, Ruby. And I don't like, this morning he was scolding me and managed to scare me to death and now he is here flirting with dumb blonde.

Ugh. I want to yank at his hair just like I did when we were kids. I try to calm myself but every time I get angry I need to throw something or else I explode.

"What's up with the bandages?" Isidore asks me but before I can respond Cadmus does.

"Everett almost got her jugular." He laughs. When he hears his name being said he turns ignoring the dumb blonde.

"What?" he asks.

"You're planning on killing you're sister before the games? Damn!" They laugh when Isidore finished talking.

Everett looks guilty and I can almost hear his thoughts. I shake my head at him, telling him to not open his mouth. But he does.

"I didn't know she wa-" He start to say but I cut him off.

"Yes you didn't know I was that out of breath." I say.

They keep on joking and talking about the other weaker tributes and how they are going to kill them. I zoomed them out. It's still hard to believe I almost died this morning. I miss Finnick and I can't wait until tonight where we would talk about my private session with the gamemakers.

Where back inside and training. I let my brother go on his own I already did my part. I walk over to the bow and arrow only a little reluctant.

I pick it up and aim towards the dummy. I breath slowly, concentrating. I hold my breath as I let the arrow go. I hits the center of the dummy's head. I smile while picking up another arrow and letting it go smoothly hitting the heart.

I keep on practicing hitting bulls eye every time. Back home in the career's school, they had any weapon, including my favorites. I didn't choose to stick to one weapon. I wanted to know how to use every single one of the weapons they had back home. The teachers were proud and supportive and thanks to them I have a chance of surviving.

When I get bored I go over to the rope course. I climb holding on tightly on to the ropes, every time I move the ropes start dancing making it difficult to proceed the climbing. I reach the top with a laugh of victory. I turn around to see every single one of the gamemakers looking at me. A couple of them could be classified as normal but others are weird. I think that if they are looking at me like that than I must surely be one of the favorites or the first to go out of the games. After all, the tributes aren't the only ones dangerous in the arena. The gamemakers are the ones that control each moves that may happen in that arena.

I smile seductively at one of them. Maybe he can help me survive the arena. I climb back down to be greeted by the little girl from five.

She looks cute. She has pale blond hair and big blue eyes with a lot of freckles on her cheeks. She must be twelve, it's a shame she'll die so soon, she still haves a whole life in front of her.

"I like your hair." She says to me but she' staring at my hair.

"Well I like yours…" I say not really paying attention to her and taking of the special gloves they gave to me so I could climb the rope without a scratch on my hand.

"No you don't." She says bluntly. I look at her and smile.

"Well aren't you a brave little thing. Aren't you scared of a career?" I ask her. She surely does impress me, I mean, when I was her age I didn't dare to look straight in the eye at any stranger.

"You aren't like the others." She states.

"How can you tell?" I kneel down so I'm at the same stature with her.

But she keeps quiet after my question. Sighing I stand up patting her hair and whispering to her before I turn around and leave her at the ropes course.

"You're right." I had whispered.

I don't know what else to do, I already tried all the station except the weapons because I can't expose myself. Walking around the gym I again spot the district 10 male. He's at the fish hook station and then I get an idea.

Walking over to that station at fast speed. I sit down next to him and reach out for the materials. I lay them in front of me but I stare at him. He doesn't acknowledges me. I sigh, tying my hair in a loose ponytail. I make fishhooks after fishhooks while he stills struggles with the first one.

"Want help?" I ask him. He looks at me for a second before turning back to his "fishhook".

"Can you talk?" I ask him again. I don't want to sound rude because what if he can talk. Well serves him right, he has to talk at some point.

He stands up and leaves, walking to another station. Guess he just got tired of making unsuccessful fishhooks. Yeah right!

Training ends and we all retreat to our district floor. I can wait to see Finnick again! Okay maybe I sound to excited. As soon as the doors open I see Valery. Oh no.

"Oh! You're here! Come, come on darlings you need to shower and then we will eat and then you will go back to your comfy beds because tomorrow is a big, big day!" She shrieks. I need to wear ear plugs when she talks.

Everett goes into his room and I make my way to mine when whispering makes it to my hearing range.

Kendra's bedroom door is slightly open and the harsh whispers comes from inside. I step closer being very careful to keep quiet.

"I won't make her approach that angle!" Finnick whispers. "Look what that did to me!"

"It doesn't matter Finnick, even if she doesn't act like that they would still be interested if she survives and besides it will help her get sponsors!" Kendra whispers back. "Now you decide Finnick it's losing her completely or losing a fraction of her."

There's silent for a long moment and I retreat to my room afraid that I might get caught. I know there talking about me, but I will leave the worrying for later.

I take off my clothes and turn on the shower waiting for the water to fill the gigantic tub. I soon take of the bandages but I don't look at my reflection.

I step in the tub instantly relaxing when the water covers me up to my shoulders. It reminds me of home, the only thing that keeps me from slipping from reality it's the fresh smell of capitol fragnce.


	6. Chapter 6

**I just want to say thanks for the reviews; they give me the inspiration I need ;) And I'm sorry for the grammatical errors, it's just that I don't re-read the story once I'm done.**

Chapter 6

Dinner is served and we are all sitting talking and laughing as if I didn't was close dying this morning. They are all relaxed, well except for our very hipper escort, and sharing. Armani is here again but this time the prep team arrives with her. I'm actually happy and comfortable with her.

"So what has your genius mind invented this time? Anymore waves?" I keep trying to coax her to into telling me about the dress. But she just won't budge.

"When are you going to give up?" She asks me smiling. She keeps adding more butter to the already buttery bread. I have a feeling she's obsessed butter.

"I would poke you and annoy you until you spill." I tell her sipping from my cup, silently watching how her fragile little hands stop adding butter to the bread and finally let's go of the knife. Knife, one of the most easiest weapons to use.

"I'm a very patient and reserved person." She warns me, I laugh.

"And I'm a person of my word… you can ask Everett." She looks at him and then back at me with her eyebrows raised.

"Go ahead then." She says before taking a small bite from the bread she buttered for like 5 minutes. I sigh, are all capitol people this difficult? Valery and Armani have different personality but they are both stubborn. I've seen Valery's stubborn side when I didn't want to wear a dress she suggested back on the train.

"Fine, I will leave you alone but just because I like you!" I tell her like a rejected child. I turn to Everett's stylist to ask him but Armani predicts my move and shoves her bread into my mouth when I open it to speak.

Everett laughs out loud drawing attention to me. I huff when I try to get rid of the butter that stains my cheeks and mouth but fail only making it worse.

Finnick hands me a napkin with a playful smile. I thank him shortly his eyes are shining with pure and utter adoration. For me? Well he did cried when I almost left this world. Wiping the butter and bread crumbs from my face I continue eating my dinner, not daring to ask again about the dress for the sake of my face. As always I dig in savoring every bite of my food, trying to get fat. Many girls back home just want to get skinnier almost to the point they look like sticks, but I want to gain pounds unlike the others. Is that weird? No, not for me. The more pounds I gain the healthier I will be in the arena. Knowing I got to eat as much as I can before they send me to the arena, there would probably be little food.

"Darling, that's not a normal thing to do." I hear Finnick say, it takes me some seconds to realize he's talking to me.

"Huh?" I turn to him. He has an amused expression on his face, he motions to my spoon which I was bringing to my mouth.

I look at it and realize there's no more soup on the spoon or the bowl. Did I kept shoving the spoon into my mouth without realizing that there was no more soup? Wow I seriously got problems.

"You want some more?" He asks me while standing up and grabbing my empty plate. I grab his wrist, stopping him from leaving me.

"No, no it's okay." I say so fast I almost sounded like Valery.

I stand up next to him. He's one head taller than me just like Everett. I always feel small when I stand next to any man but I'm still tall.

"Weren't you going to talk to me about my private session with the devils?" I ask him low enough for only him to hear. He chuckles at my choice of words.

He doesn't say anything just leads me away from the rest of the group to a more private place. He takes me to his room and closes the door. I sit down on a chair on the far corner of the room.

"Tell me how it went first." He sits on the chair in front of me.

"I made a mistake and now I'm stuck with the bow." I tell him. He looks at me questionably cocking his head to the side slightly.

"Mistake?" He asks. I bit my lip pondering what to say.

"Yeah, I … let my thoughts take over." I decide to say that line better instead of something cruel.

"Ann, tell me already." He says with a hint of annoyance in his tone, but I ignore it. I love his nickname for me no one has ever called me that before.

"I thought that if they saw me at the survival station only than they would picture me as a weakling and use me against Everett." I tell him exactly what I had in my mind yesterday.

"You didn't have to do that." He sighs massaging his temples. He stands up and walks over to a little fridge I hadn't notice that was there. He pours a red liquid in a glass, filling it completely. He sits back down and all I do is stare at it, watching how he lifts it up to his mouth and takes a sip. When he finally notices how my eyes are glued to the red liquid on his glass he says,

"Oh how rude of me, did you want some Ann, darling?" he waves the glass in front of my face and I automatically nod.

He chuckles as he stands up to serve me a glass but immediately stops when I roughly take the cup and drink the entire red liquid. It reminds me of some kind of fruit but I can't put my finger on it just yet.

"Mmm…" I hum slightly dazed. I look up at Finnick giving him back his glass and pushing him towards the fridge.

"What is that stuff?" I ask him watching as he again pours the red liquid on the glass.

"Were here to talk about what we will do to get you a good training score not get you drunk." He says only filling one glass and throwing the empty bottle to the trash can.

"But the last one sounds so much better!" I whine, I will do anything to have another cup of that delicious drink.

He drinks it super-fast probably thinking that I will swallow the whole glass if he doesn't soon. He grabs me by the arm and sits me down despise my struggles. He sits me in his lap! My hearts starts racing like a racing car. His hands lock themselves in front of me and his chin rest at my shoulder.

"Were you a good little tribute and did what I told you?" He asks, I can feel his hot breath on my shoulder and wounded neck, I almost shiver.

"Yes." I answer him.

"Good. Well let's talk about the tributes first." He says nudging me off of his lap. I'm thankful but disappointed at the same time, is like that feeling when something feels good but you don't admit it.

"Why?" I ask sitting in front of him again.

"Anyone caught your attention?" He asks me leaning back and closing his eyes. Now I get what he means.

"Well not really just the boy from ten, the others are just…" I trail off.

"What's wrong with him?" He asks me seeming interested.

"Well he looks like he's mute, I don't know, but he was staring at the swords longingly." I inform him.

"Okay well see what he gets in training. Now let's see… Okay I want you to show them your archery skills and maybe some survivals, and a net. I guess that's enough I don't want them to hate you or disqualify you so fast so maybe seduce them a little. That way I could ensure you at least a couple of days to live. The Capitol plays by favorites and you have everything they like, the only problem is your attitude but that will be left for latter on your interview." He says just like he did on my first day of training.

We stay silent for a while, me admiring his bronze hair. I don't know what he is doing staring past me or having a war of thoughts on his mind. The silence is making me crazy. He seems like a layback person but I need to talk or else ill faint of boredom. To break the silence that is driving me mad I try to joke, though part of me is serious.

"Can I get drunk now?"

He finally looks at me with a big smile on his face. The smile makes his dimples appear on his face, radiating with life. I smile back at him but for a reason I feel like I'm smiling at his dimples because my eyes are glued to them. He appears to not notice my love for his dimples.

"Help yourself." He says motioning towards the fridge, I jump from my seat and walk towards the fridge. I grab the one more similar to the one I drank from.

I taste it and sure enough, this was it. I take the bottle with me and I sit in front of Finnick.

"I want to get to know you better… you know the deep stuff." I say to him, laughing when he tenses and his eyes widen when he sees the bottle I picked.

"Okay?" He says a bit insecure.

"I'll start with dumb questions, like… What's your favorite color? Mine's turquoise." I say.

"I don't have a favorite color, I mean it changes you know?" He says, I know what he means but it wasn't what I wanted.

"What do you like to do?" I ask him.

"Joke." Just one word. Wow, am I being a burden. If I am, well, I don't care.

"Tell me one." I smile innocently at him.

"What did the blonde said when the air plane began to shake?" He asks.

"What?"

"Must be an earthquake." He says with a pretty bored expression.

I laugh, half because of the joke and half because of his expression and I can feel myself getting more drunk by the minute. How many alcohol does this bottle have.

"That's so stupid." I laugh, I stand up attempting to go back to my room but I trip over my own feet and almost hit the floor if it weren't for Finnick holding me.

"Who needs to get sober now?" He asks chuckling slightly.

"Hey! This is my first time! So let me enjoy it!" I say way to loudly. I'm getting out of control, I can feel it in my veins!

I laugh to myself, I can't seem to stop, I'm laughing so much my cheeks hurt. I'm laughing over nothing! I must look like a crazy person. But for some reason Finnick finds amusement in my laugh and soon laughs with me.

He takes me to my room. He leaves as soon as I approach the bathroom, I feel empty without him. I take a shower using the same soap that makes me smell like candy. It's what Finnick said. Feeling like a woman born out of water I walk over to the bed not bothering to dry myself or put some nightgown.

**Sorry if the chapter is short I just want to post something. And I didn't feel too pleased about this one, so anyways I hope you like it.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Upon one summer's morning

I carefully did stray

Down by the warls wapping

Where I met a Sailor gay

Conversing with a young lass

Who seem to be in pain

Saying "William when you go I fear you will never return again"

When I woke up my head was pounding. I ignore the pain in my head as I stumble to the full-length mirror. I pull a chair in front of it sitting down. I start to brush my hair gently, getting rid of all the knots I made by tossing and turning on my bed. My brown locks reach my waist. I never wanted it cut, but it doesn't grow past my waist.

My heart is pierced by cupid

I disdain on glittering gold

There is nothing can console me

But my Jolly Sailor Bold

I finished brushing light brown my hair. I decide on an up hairstyle, gently grabbing my hir and tying it on a loose bun. Some pieces of my hair-that are short-are loose from the bun. I pin them back. I want my hair out of my face for my little visit to the gamemakers.

His hair hangs in ringlets

His eyes as black as gold

My happiness attend him

Wherever he may go

I keep singing, I miss my mom so much. She uses to sing me that song when she finished telling me a tale of mermaid, every single night. I remember how I would pretend to be a mermaid whenever I was on the beach. One day I forced Everett to play with me, he had been so angry that he didn't talk to me for a week. Not even a glance.

From Tower Hill to Blackwall

I'll wander weep and moan

All for my Jolly Sailor

Until he sails return

I change into my training outfit feeling my headache still nagging me and now butterflies in my stomach. I never been so nervous before in my life, though I know when I will be on a plate emerging into the arena I would be shitting myself.

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain on glittering gold

There's nothing can console me

But my Jolly Sailor Bold

My father is a merchant

The truth I will now tell

And in great London City

In opulence don't dwell

His fortune doth exceed

300,000 gold

And he frowns upon his daughter

Who loves a Sailor Bold

A fig for his riches

His merchandise and gold

True love has grafted my heart

Give me my Sailor Bold

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain on glittering gold

There's nothing can console me

But my Jolly Sailor Bold

I stop singing as soon as I reach the hall. I keep silent not knowing if the others are awake. I walk silently down the hall sitting on a couch holding my head in my hands. It as if I have a second heart up there. Pounding. Like fists on a door. I have never felt like this, I only had little innocent headaches back when I was young. I feel like going back to sleep, snuggling under the cover, surrounded by war-

"Here" I see a hand in front of me with two little pills. The hand is small and delicate but at the same time deadly. Kendra.

I look up at her with my eyes half-close. "What is it?"

"Products from the Capitol," Like I don't know that. "It will help your headache."

She sits next to me after handing me the pills.

"Are you expecting me to swallow these without water?" I ask, angry that she brought me the pills alone.

"I expect you to get it yourself." She says with an arrogant tone in her voice. I stand up slowly feeling like falling face down to the floor. I reach a pot of water where I pour some into a glass.

"Are you trying to follow your mentor's steps?" I hear her ask, I bet she has a smile on her face. Swallowing the pills down I turn to her and I'm right, she has a playful smile on her face.

Someone likes to bug people. I start feeling relaxed as the pill works it magic. This stupid Capitol has so much wonderful things that they don't give to the districts! All they do is make the districts give more than they should or can! Relax Annie! I tell myself. Maybe there's an object hidden in a room that can read your mind, and if there is then I'm doomed.

As I focus back on the world around me I see Finnick and Kendra having a glaring contest with each other. When did he arrive? And why are they glaring at each other? Finnick is wearing a simple white robe and some slippers. He looks devastatingly handsome even do his slippers are for a girl since they have a bunny face on them.

"Cute slippers" I choke out trying to hold back giggles. Neither of them turn from there icy glares.

I sigh thinking that is better to be ignored. They seemed to understand and worry for each other but now there acting like enemies. For four minutes. As fast as they look ready to rip each other's throats off their back to normal.

Everett comes out of the blue, sitting next to me with a knowing glance. Of course he knows, we practically feel what the other feels. Other times we think alike or finish each other's sentences, some people think it's freaky or weird while we just feel proud to have "Twin Powers".

"Are you nervous?" He asks me. "I know I am…"

"Now why would you be nervous?" I smile gently at him. He frowns hanging his head. I hate it when he's like this but I can feel a strong emotion deep within me. My feelings for my family. I know I want to survive the arena badly for so many reasons but I still have that other voice telling me there's nothing wrong with sacrifice.

"You better than anyone knows how I feel about people criticizing me or expecting better from me. I-It creeps me out, look I already feel uncertain." He says making unknown motions with his big hands.

"Would it make you feel better if I told you that I'm nervous?" I ask him though I already know his answer.

"No," Bingo! " because you're saying it so I, god you're so predictable!" He chuckles a little grabbing me and squishing me in his bulky arms. God how I love my blunt brother.

I love his laugh, the one laugh that was so carefree and it's now fill with worry and sadness-if somewhat forced-. He laughs just to reassure me but it doesn't work. He can do better than that.

Other thoughts fill my mind. I have been slightly out of focus and I have these big feelings for Finnick that won't let me concentrate on my and my brother's life. I have spent so many years with my brother while with Finnick I have been like two or three days and yet he affected me so fast and deeply but I have to make a choice. I decide that a crush is what I feel for Finnick though I know that's not right. I would focus on protecting my brother, I would bring him back home.

We are already down in the training center with the other tributes. We are all sitting in our district order from one to twelve, the females tributes in front of the male tributes. Everett is bouncing his right leg rapidly looking straight into the eyes of the male tribute from nine who is sitting in front of us. The poor kid cowards under his gaze but I don't know why he cowers I mean Everett is just staring not burning hole at him with his glassy-like eyes. I'm pretty sure Everett isn't aware that he is staring at an afraid kid but right pass him, as if imagining what's behind the boy.

I put my hand on his knee trying to stop its bouncing and at the same time trying to make him avert his eyes but it's like he isn't in his body right now.

Ruby has been called like two minutes ago and Isidore looks impatient in his seat. Cadmus and Dakota look surprisingly patient compared to Isidore. I heard the people from two are ruthless bloodthirsty humans without feelings. I didn't believed it until my first time watching the games.

Next they call Isidore who practically runs inside eager to show the gamemakers his skill. I'm slightly disgusted by him, he surely can wait for his time in the arena. Well I know his district will be disappointed or ashamed of him once I eliminate him from the living tributes list. Wow already thinking like a bloodthirsty from two Annie?

I see the little girl with freckled cheeks I talked to yesterday next to Everett.

"Mind switching?" I poke Everett in his arm getting his attention.

"But… why?" He asks me only half-conscious. The look on his face makes me smile, he is just so clueless sometimes.

I stand up motioning for him to sit in my space. I can see the boy from nine instantly relaxing. I turn to freckles cheeks.

"You never told me your name." I tell her. She looks up at me slightly surprise. I wonder what she will do to impress the gamemakers.

"You never told me yours." She said "But I know it…Your name is pretty popular around here."

Really? Is that a good thing? Maybe if I am favored by rich sponsor I will have a better chance but that means less supporting for Everett.

"Darcy"

"Cute name" I tell her smiling sweetly.

We stay silent after that little exchange, Dakota and Cadmus are already gone and so is the boy from three. That means I'm next. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach taking flight rapidly.

"What's it like in district 4?" She asks me. Is she trying to distract me? Smart little girl.

"Well there's water everywhere you look, sand so soft and warm, the sun is always present that's why most of district 4 people are tanned. I love my home so much. Too much it already hurts." I say with a dreamy expression. I wish this stinking Capitol never existed and the district were free to do whatever they wanted.

"How's your district?" I ask her after a couple of seconds of silence.

"Pretty boring, I mean, I just rather be somewhere else…" She trails of when my name is called.

I breathe in and out slowly. Standing up carefully I turn my back on her and look at Everett who gives me an assuring smile.

"Go get them Tiger!" He whispers to me.

I put on an emotionless mask so the other tributes can't read me. It's empty and really quiet the only sound I'm able to hear is distant and it comes from where the gamemakers are, apparently having a good time.

I walk over to the bow that stands in front of them, picking it up I grab one arrow position next to it. I wait for them to notice me, I don't see the point in saying my name since they call me in. One young gamemaker notice me and makes the others silent. They sit down one by one with food or drinks on their hands. The hands they use to make us suffer in the arena. I smile at the young gamemaker thankfully but I also wink. I can barely see his cheeks turn pink.

I turn towards the dummies and aim at the one in the middle. I stop breathing and let the arrow slip from my fingers. It misses the heart but it hits the throat. 'I got to do better than that' I think. Grabbing another arrow, not bothering to aim this time I let it go and it hits the other dummies head. I'm so weird! The others I grab land in the heart.

What did Finnick told me to do after? God I'm so stupid, how can I forget something important. So I make a trap with the rope they left on a corner. I'm sure nobody ever touch this except me and maybe Everett when he comes. I grab one human dummy and shove it to my trap watching as the rope tightens on his neck like a snake letting him dangling on his feet.

"Thank you Miss Cresta, you may now go." Says the head gamemaker. I smile at them my eyes lingering on the gamemaker who I know I got in my trap. With his support the only thing I have to worry about is how to get rid of the careers.

I make my way to the elevator pushing the 4 button. I'm still nervous, what if I get a low score. The apartment is surprisingly empty, no Kendra or Finnick but one thing is for sure there's a lot of perfume smell in the apparment. I know what Finnick is doing but does Kendra had the same fate as him? She is beautiful so maybe she does the same thing.

Everett is taking awfully a lot of time to come up so I go and take a shower trying to get rid of my thoughts. But it doesn't work. If I survive the arena I don't think I can live with the guilt of knowing I could have save him. Would my parents hate me because of Everett? How would my life would be after?

I search for Valery in every corner of the apartment. It sounds crazy but I want her company. She is at the living room reading a capitol fashion magazine. When she sees me she immediately opens her beak.

"Oh my dear, dear Annie, come here, look look!" She shrieks with happiness. I sit beside her and she hands me the magazine she was looking at.

"You are the only tribute they talk about! Isn't that marvelous!" She is beaming, bouncing on her seat with excitement. I can see what Darcy was talking about. There's a photo of me in the tribute parade, the image is cut so they don't show Everett, only me. It talks about the fabulous costume Armani made and my looks… only that because they know nothing about my personality. "Half of the capitol wants to be your sponsor, Finnick doesn't need to charm their pants off. He got call after call even Kendra had to help him with your long list of admirers."

Now that is exaggerating! But at least I know what they're doing.

**Sorry for the wait! And Happy Three King Day**

**On the next chapter we will see the scores and the interviews. After that is the first day on the arena!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Oh darling I can't wait for our little bonding time." Valery said.

It's shame I can't say the same to her. I actually feel a little scared of what she's going to teach me. Everett isn't here yet, what the heck is he doing down there?

"Let's talk about clothes!" She shrieks. "I don't know what Armani has in store for you but anyways… do you like to wear black?"

I nod not knowing what to say. It was one big mistake.

"Ok. I do of course look stunning in black." She pauses for a couple of seconds which I find comfort in. " Right. Girls wear whatever is the color this year, which lately has involved a lot of color blocking."

What is she talking about?! I'm so lost.

"I love studying what people wear. What is your usual outfit?" She asks me. I don't answer I just stare at her.

"What?" I finally say. She looks slightly annoyed by my response and grabs another magazine.

"I have read this magazine and they have some sort of quiz here… now let's see, where is it." She says as she inspects every page. "It's around here somewhere…ah here we go! It's called, are you easily distracted. I think I need to see how easily you get distracted. Shall we begin?"

I shrugged, at least it will buy me sometime…

"Number one: How many screens do you have on at the same time?"

This is clearly for capitol people, there are no screens back home. I decide to play with her.

"Wait, what was the question again?" I ask trying to be convincing, apparently I'm good enough.

"If your friend starts telling you a long story, What do you do?"

"I doze off…" She is getting annoyed even if it is a stupid little quiz.

"Do you read books through to the end?" She goes on, I don't see the point in this. I need help! I think I prefer to be with Marissa.

"I get bored reading the tittle" Lie, that is one big innocent lie.

"Where do you prefer to study?"

I look past her at the window. There so many building that the sun is barely visible.

"I think I heard a bird outside, did you hear that?"

"A bird? Really? Where?" She asks immediately looking out the gigantic window. "That's weird, I have never seen a bird around here. Anyways lets go on."

"How would you best describe your memory?"

"Like a dog-I have a bad memory except for food." I say. That on came out very fast without me thinking.

"When someone is talking to you and you get bored what do you do?"

"There's definitely some sort of bird outside…" I say trying to look as if I'm struggling to hear it.

"You are trying to distract me aren't you?" She asks with an amused smile.

"Can someone make that bird outside to stop tweeting?" I ignore her.

"Why? He just loves to tweet!" She shrieks her voice full of annoyance. Mission accomplished. I got to admit that it was fun to annoy her.

Everett finally comes in and walks over to us. I can see that Valery's face is red even with all the make up on.

"Thank goodness you're here, take her, she's completely yours." Valery tells Everett before running out of the room as best as she can with those heals of her.

"I'm looking forward to our meeting later!" I yell at her retreating form. I hear her mutter something but I don't know what it is.

"I get the impression that you had fun" Everett says sitting down next to him.

"Well I didn't know she loved birds that much." I say. Everett raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me but says nothing.

"How did it go?" I ask him. I hope he didn't do anything out of line.

"It was okay, I a… showed them how good I am with a spear." He said. "You?"

I'm glad he didn't do anything stupid, he tends to do that a lot. He is bad when it comes to control his actions.

"Annie?"

"Good, it went well."

A couple of minutes pass and I don't say anything, neither does he. I don't want to be the only thing he focuses on the arena so I decide that it's best if we talk and try to come to some sort of agreement.

"Everett we need to talk," I say turning to him. "I really want to sort this out."

"What?"

Why is he pretending to not know? He clearly does and he still doesn't have the pants to come straight to me and talk.

"Everett I don't want you sacrificing yourself for me." I say getting right to the point. "I know you would feel terrible if I don't make it, like I would feel if you don't survive but what I'm trying to say is that we should help each other until fate decides what's best for us… we will protect each other."

"And what if it comes down to us?" He asks me with a worried look.

"I highly doubt that." I tell him as gently as I can.

"There's nothing wrong with hope." He whispers.

"You want it to come down to us?" I ask in surprise. That would be so much worse than killing others.

"It will be better… the gamemakers would make the move, not us." He says. "But, fine I will go with yours; I will be with you every step of the way."

* * *

Armani seats beside me waiting patiently for Caesar Flickerman to announce the tributes scores. Everybody is here, they're talking about a bunch of nonsense, I suppose. I guess I should too. I turn to Armani.

"I'm not going to tell you anything about the dress." She says immediately.

"Am I getting that predictable?" I smile at her. "I wasn't going to ask you that, I just want to chat, you know."

"Okay, um… are you excited for the interview?" She asks me while filing her nails. I nod and she asks "Why?"

"Because I get to wear one of your masterpieces! C'mon I think that's a little obvious Armani!" I laugh leaning back against the fluffy couch.

"How is it that you always manage to turn every conversation we have to your dress?"

"It takes all the left wisdom to do it." I giggle. I don't know how I manage to do it either, must be the suspense that kills me.

"Well don't waist the little left wisdom you have in there, you're going to need it." She says poking my head a couple of times.

I feel a hand on my knee, warm and gentle. I turn my head slightly looking at Finnick out of my peripheral vision. He is dress like a man going to dinner on a fancy restaurant, and the intoxicating perfume around him almost makes me faint. I can also make out the faintest trace of makeup on his face, only powder. He has a sad smile on his face, his eyes showing longing.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you this morning." He says with a sincere voice. " And I'm sorry that I have to go now too, I just wanted to ask how it went."

"It was fine; I did just what you told me." I smile at him. At least I think I did what he told me.

He nods satisfied with my answer. " I will watch the scores but I'm afraid I can't be here to help you with the interview so Kendra will… hopefully I will see you before the interviews starts, or after their done." He winces at the last part.

I hope I can see him before the interviews, it will be the last time I would ever see him. My chest tightens at the thought of never seeing him again. Surely he'll move on and that hurts more.

"Okay then, I'll see you at the interviews." I tell him. After a couple of more questions he leaves in peace telling me that he'll try to be on time.

I now where he's going and what he's going to do but I only hope I'm wrong, which is stupid. I wonder if he's not the only one.

Caesar appears on the screen out of the blue doing a short introduction. Everybody falls quiet and listen.

Isidore gets a 9 and Ruby an 8 I don't think they are happy with their scores after all, I wouldn't be happy. Then are Cadmus and Dakota who both get a 10. The boy from three receives a 5 and the girl receives a 7. Everett face appears on the screen next.

"Everett Cresta from District 4 receives…" Caesar pauses for dramatic effect. He stays silent for seconds but it feels like minutes to me, making me want to strangle him. "…a ten!"

I sigh in relive at the same time as Everett. His stylist and prep team stand up and cheer, congratulating him. I hug him tightly and kissing his cheek, as best as I can.

"Annie Cresta from Distridt 4 receives a…" Again he pauses, I burry my face in Everett's shirt not wanting to hear my score. If it's too high the careers can see me as risk but if it's to low they will still want to get rid of me and as soon as they do that Everett won't be far behind in having the same fate.

"…an eight!" He says with a bit of disbelieve on his voice.

"Eight!" I can't help but yell out my disappointment. I did so much better than that! Now I have the same score of the dumb blonde. Somewhere in the capitol Finnick is watching and I can't help but feel insecure. What does he think? I turn to Kendra seeing as she knows him better than anyone here and can relate to him a little.

"It's okay Annie, it's a little low for a career but a decent score." She says as soon as she notice me searching for comfort. "Besides, I know how the gamemakers think; they're giving you a little help."

How can a low score for a career be help? I better not say anything; after all, Kendra is a mentor and has work a good amount of years here to know how it all works.

Darcy receives a 7. I'm happy for freckle cheeks; she is a smart little girl. The rest of the kids get scores of 5 to 7, except in district twelve who gets a 3 and a 4. I have never heard of a tribute with a score of 1. But I'm sure that if one does he will never be forgotten.

"Are you not satisfied with your score?" Everett asks.

"I expected better" I say standing up on hunching over Armani.

"I think I would prefer you showing me how to act lady-like instead of Valery." I tell her as low as I can.

"Well is not like I would like to be in your company either!" Shrieks the peacock, I mean, Valery. She really looks like a peacock with all the different colors she's wearing. I think I would call her that from now on since she seems to like birds and wear a lot of different colors.

Armani chuckles "Since when are you two rivals?"

"Since she started talking" I mutter watching Valery leave the room probably to change her clothes again.

"I will see you later water girl." Armani says hugging me quickly before leaving.

I sigh walking to my bedroom to get 'presentable' for Valery. I wonder if Finnick thinks the same as Kendra, I hope so.

* * *

"Stand straight Annie! Straight! Stay like that while you walk!" Valery keeps scolding me over and over.

"I am!" I shout at her.

"No, you are not! Look at you, you're shoulders are hunched!" She says tapping me in my shoulder blades.

I have been an hour and a half trying to survive this torture. First she started with dinner manners, I don't why because it's an INTERVIEW but she managed to shut me up. Next she started to show me how to talk and make gestures in an elegant way. I have the bad habit to put the ends of my hair in between my lips, I don't suck at it I just leave it there but she doesn't like it and when she finally realizes that she can't do anything about it she told me she was going to order Armani to put my hair up and out of the range of my mouth. She thought me how to sit correctly and smile and other things. Now teaching me how to walk before handing me heals.

"Put them on!" She said.

My mouth hung open and my eyes are wide. The shoes are so much bigger than the ones she's wearing.

"These things might kill me!" I say. "Are you mad?"

"Yes. Now put them on!" she is looking at me expectantly. "What? Don't tell me you don't know how to put them on 'cause I won't believe it for a second."

I slowly put them on when I see there's no way out of this. I stand up slowly and take my first step. I feel a foot taller but I know the heals can't be as long as I first saw it. My knees wobble with each step, I start gaining speed trying to maintain myself on my feet until I crash against the wall.

"You look like a baby giraffe learning how to stand on her feet." She sighs rubbing her forehead. I'm actually surprised that she knows what a giraffe is.

After a couple of more tries and like half an hour later I get the hang of it. I walk so easily on them that I think I could run in them; I won't take the risk though.

"Oh look at you! Finally! I'm done with you!" She sighs in relief.

"Sorry if I was such a burden." I say putting the heals by her side once I take them off. My feet hurt slightly but I ignore it.

"Oh no it's okay, I'm happy to teach you." She says. "But I want you to keep those manners in the arena!"

Yeah right! The arena is no place for manners.

Everett appears by the door way walking towards us a little reluctant. I'm sure my eyes are beaming with happiness. I finally get to escape from Valery.

"Good luck for the both of you." I say leaving them and looking for Kendra.

Kendra was in the hallway waiting for me patiently. When she saw me she immediately smirked.

"How much torture did Valery put you through, hmm?" She asked.

"Those were the words hours of my life!" I gasp out.

She laughs "Ah! I remember my escort, Valery is much better than mine I can assure you that."

She takes me to her room that is no different from mine except for the personal things. I sit in her bed and lean my head on the headboard. It seems that every one of district 4 have one favorite treat, Finnick with his sugar cubes, Kendra with her cherries and me with my ice cubes obsession.

"Cherry?" She asks holding a bowl full of them. I pick up three savoring the sweet taste.

"Is this how you treated Everett?" I ask her, a small smile playing at the corner of my lips.

"No, I'm just trying to act like a girl you're age." She laughs softly.

"So I already thought of an angle for you and I know you're not going to like it." She says with a serious expression.

I stay quiet waiting for her to continue. I don't what she means. What I don't like, hmm? I don't like Marissa, salt water on my eyes, Carol crying, animals dying, angry family, frozen food, uncooked food, wasted food, old food, okay I got a little carried away with food.

"Annie you are beautiful, the capitol sees that and likes it… if you flirt with the audience and act like you love them then they would help you go through this." She says.

"I don't think I can…" I start saying, I'm really uncomfortable with the idea. I don't think I have the enough amount of courage to do it.

"Yes you can, you only have to put a part on this, and Armani will do most of the rest with what she has installed for you. I can teach you a couple of tricks."

"But what about Everett? If all the attention is on me then what will happen to him?" That's one of the most things that worries me if I take that roll.

"He already has his own plan for sponsors, Annie. And if you stay together and you have a problem you will have enough sponsors for not just yourself but for Everett too… think about it Annie… think about how would Finnick feel."

She is one convincing woman. How clever of her to use my weak spots. And know I am a fool who would let her convince me just like I'm sure she convinced Everett.

"Okay" I nod.

She smiles warmly "It's for the best… for now."

The hour with Kendra passes rapidly. Half of it we tried techniques on how to answer Caesar questions and the other half giving me tips of how to flirt with the audience. She is a much more better teacher than Valery. I wonder what is she 'teaching' Everett. Is my poor brother suffering just like I did?

* * *

My prep team is washing my body once again making sure I smell nice. The woman takes my hair and starts brushing it with such tenderness it reminds me of my mom. I'm ashamed that I haven't once had a thought about them for a while. One of the men starts doing my makeup while the other works on my nails.

The woman divided my hair and braided it, she then wrapped the braids correctly around my head. The makeup they put me was all blue like the last time but a different shade of color. Once again wrapped in jewelry they leave me waiting for Armani. I'm glad that this time they didn't shaved my body.

Armani enters with a bag on one hand and a little box on the other. She is wearing all black today and her hair is up in a tight bun.

"I thought Valery told you to keep the hair tied." I tell her once she starts to undo the beautiful hairstyle the woman did.

"She did... However that doesn't mean I will listen to her." She smiles. "I trust that you won't do that thing with your hair on public television…"

"Of course not!"

"Good, well the time has come for you to finally see your dress, aren't you excited?!" She screams with joy as high as she can which is not much.

When I nod at her she takes the bag and opens it revealing the beautiful dress. It's strapless top and it's floor length. The dress is like a mirror, it shows you what life under water looks like. It's as if the sea is trapped in the fabric of the dress. You can see the shiny sun from under the water, little schools of fish, and starfish in the sand. It looks so natural and completely real that it goes to the point where you think you could touch the dress and your hand will immediately go through the fabric and underwater.

"You are a miracle maker. How do you make it look so real?!" I gasp out. "It's so beautiful!"

"Thank you!" She says "Was it worth the waiting?"

"Definitely!"

She helped me to put on the dress and handed me some kind of shiny but transparent blue gloves. She walked toward the table picking up the little box and handing it to me.

"Open it!" She says quietly.

I take of the top of the little box and gasp. There's a golden bracelet with eight little light sapphire diamonds. It looks simple, fragile.

"It looks like you" She says to me taking the bracelet and wrapping it around my wrist. "I want you to take it with you to the arena as my token."

"It's so beautiful, thank you." I embrace her tightly rocking from side to side slightly.

"I knew you would like it" She backs away from our embrace. "We better get going, it's not polite to keep others waiting."

* * *

Everett is sitting waiting impatiently for me. The interviews hadn't stated yet but the tributes are already taking their seats waiting to be called. Everett has a suit with the same effect as my dress.

When he sees me he says, "Well finally! It's about time!"

"It's not our fault that we take long to prepare" I say in defense of all women.

"Maybe that's because you women have many imperfections that takes hours to cover up" He embraces me quickly before sitting back down.

"You really know how to make me feel special!" I reply drily at him. He chuckles grabbing my right hand and kissing it.

"Our stylists have one heck of an imagination!" He gestures to his suit and my dress. "I would have never thought of this."

"Me either, I love this dress so much!" I sigh "It reminds me of home, I wish I could keep it." Yes, keep it if I wasn't in this situation. Everett looks like he's going to say something and I know what so I glare at him to keep him quiet. But Caesar also helps, the interviews has started.

The interviews go really fast for my liking seeing as I might faint with the nerves. Isidore passes as attractive and funny, Ruby goes for innocent, something that fits her well since she is small and fragile but she is still a career and she volunteered. Cadmus is mysterious and Dakota goes with arrogance. Since I am of district 4 is not long before a man leads me away.

"From district four, let's give a round of applause for our beautiful Annie Cresta!"

The crowd roars, claps and cheer for me. I feel like I could vomit but I hold it in and instead I smile, ignoring my nervousness and walking to the stage towards Caesar. He puts his hand on my back facing the cheering crowd laughing. I keep on smiling at the freaks that are either drooling over me or mesmerized by my dress. I gave a little wave and wink at one 'man' at the front row. My nerves subside a little making it more easy for me to act. Caesar circles around me looking at my dress with a faked shocked expression.

"Wow! My, my Annie, you look stunning!" He leads me to a chair; he sits in front of me smiling. I smile back at him looking at his appearances. He is dress in gold this year, his clothes and hair. His eyes are on my dress, I can tell why, every time I move it looks like the water moves inside to, and the sun shines brighter underwater.

"You always find a way to impress me." He says.

I just keep smiling not knowing what else to do. Ask me questions dammit! Let's get this over with.

"So, Annie, how's the Capitol?" He asks me. "What have you liked so far?"

"The food. I love the food. But, yeah everything here is so unreal; it's like a new world for me. It's all so beautiful." I can only hope that my answers are correct.

"The beautiful one here is you! Right folks?!" He laughs at the cheering crowd. I look over to the sea of weirdoes and smile putting a hand delicately on my chest where my heart is, making it look like I'm touched that they think of me as beautiful.

"Calm down! Calm down!" He says at the crowd before turning to me "Annie, are you ready?"

"Yes," I giggle "I have so many reasons that give the strengths and courage to try and make it."

So many reasons to protect Everett and so many reasons to come back for Finnick.

"And what about your brother?"

I knew that question was coming; I was just waiting for it.

"He is one of the reasons, if he doesn't make it than I will try and make it out for him, just as I know he will do for me." I say not smiling anymore but holding back my emotions like my true self.

I try and smile confidently but it comes out forced. They had found my weak spot. Everett. If I was a career from one or two I would make a mental not of this moment of weakness, so I hope the careers are stupid enough to not notice.

"I admire your strength and love for your brother Annie, I really do." He manages to say before the my time is up.

"From district 4, Annie Cresta!" He shouts at the crowd.

I instantly smile flirtatiously at the crowd. It looks like a street covered with freaky people with the same freaky outfits. I wave, smile and wink only at the men. I don't think I can handle doing that to women. I start to walk out of the stage but I manage to throw a couple of kisses at them. The men go crazy starting to grab at the invisible air trying to grab my kisses. They look super ridiculous.

Once I'm at the back stage I see Kendra and Valery there. Valery runs to me and hugs me while Kendra stays back clapping.

"You drove them wild!" Valery shrieks. When she finally steps back Kendra approaches me.

"You did fantastic, darling." She praises. "I'm sure this will get you more sponsors than needed. I think we need to stop for a little while or else the other tributes won't have any sponsors!"

We all share a little laugh at her comment. When the laughing dies I hear the voice of Everett. I turn around and find him in the little television on the wall. Every answer he gives it involves jokes but their still honest. He shows love and care, a lot feelings when Caesar ask him about me. He tells him that he will protect me, something I didn't say I would do but plan on doing.

"There's my favorite tribute!" I can barely make out Armani's shout. I turn around just in time to see her opening her arms for a hug.

"I better be!" I threatened jokingly.

After Everett finished his interview and he gave him our praises we headed back to our floor. Finnick hasn't appeared yet and I'm slightly impatient. This is my last night here and it is already nine o'clock. If he doesn't come any time soon then I'm afraid I will have to go to bed.

When I give up on waiting for him I go to my room. Stepping out of the dress that is now pilled on the floor, I put on a satin robe. Getting rid of all the left makeup on my face I pick up the dress and pass my hand through it neatly and lovingly, getting rid of all the wrinkles. Just as I'm getting ready for bed there's a knock on the door. Probably Everett coming to say something 'important' like the other two times. But when I open the door is sea green eyes that greets me.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I'm scared. I'm scared for what awaits Everett, what waits for me. The careers could betray us on the bloodbath. It's the perfect place for betrayal. All you can see is tributes running for their life, fighting for a backpack, killing each other because of the fear of being ended. All you can hear is cries of pain and agony; the tributes pant for air and grunt because of the energy they're using. All you can smell is fresh crimson blood.

The biggest mistake anyone could make on the bloodbath is to keep your back unguarded. Once you make the mistake, betrayal will strike. One of our suppose allies might attack if we plant a thought of threat in their mind … I will guard Everett's back when the time comes, just in case.

I don't know if Everett will kill in the bloodbath but I know I would if they even think of raising a weapon at me or at Everett. I will defend myself, that's what I'm going to do. Not kill without emotions, just defend. I guess Everett will make a kill or two. I know him and if he does kills he will pray silently in his mind for forgiveness. It's thanks to our grandmother that we are not ruthless careers. Most of the careers get brainwashed into thinking that winning the hunger games will bring honor to his or hers district. The careers from one are spoiled rotten while the ones from two are practically military men. Dakota is the perfect example.

I only have one hour before I leave with Armani to the arena in the hovercraft. I ate breakfast like it's my last decent meal, which probably is the most food I will eat compared to what the unknown arena might have. I don't know how I will make it in the arena if there are low food sources there. Finnick will probably have to send parachutes with food every day seeing as I get hungry every hour of the day. I will have to share the food with Everett something I never did before but I'm sure Everett can handle a grumpy Annie.

I don't see our mentors but that is expected. We tributes leave for the arena while the mentors go to the mentor room. Armani was the one who greeted me a terrible morning. The morning where I will be send to kill others. I wonder how I would do my lady duties with cameras watching me from everywhere.

"Let's go" Armani said more quietly than usual. I press the napkin to my lips feeling the softness I know I would miss.

She looks like she is in a deep depression. Her shoulders are slumped forward, a sad and frustrated frown upon her face, paler than normal and looking like she might burst into tears at any moment. She had gotten attached no doubt and thinks of me as a good friend. I myself am sad to the idea of not seeing her again. She was an amazing stylist who has won my thrust and heart. I really like her deeply; I'm not the one to make friends quickly but she sure taught me how to open up to strangers.

The hovercraft is enormous. Never have I seen one so close, I feel like an ant next to it. It shines brightly because of the sun. I actually feel a little scared about getting in that big spaceship. What if the hovercraft crashes and we all die once it turns on fire? Sadly that will never happen.

The inside is weirder than the outside. But then again, I have never been in one so who am I to judge something so normal to the capitol people.

Armani and I sit down in a long row of seats pressed against the wall of the hovercraft. I haven't seen Everett but I'm sure he is with his stylist somewhere around here.

"I promised myself I would only concentrate on my job," said Armani quietly "but I'm new an-"

I cut her off before she can keep on "Not now." I hope I didn't sound rude but I don't want to listen to anyone right now. I want to be with Everett. He is the one that supports me and understand me. He was the one who shared my feelings and thoughts ever since we were born. There wasn't a thing we would not do together. He is more gentle and compassionate than me; he can calm me down when I'm angry. I have the feeling that I will cause a lot of trouble in the arena and that he will be the one to face the circumstances.

I know Cadmus is the one leading the alliance. He has proved to be stronger than Everett and Isidore, for us girls is obvious who the one with more strength is, Dakota. Though that doesn't mean she can defeat me or Ruby. What I fear is myself. If they order me around I know I will stand up with my head held high. I don't like to be bossed around especially if I'm being bossed by a person younger or the same age as me. I just won't listen and I doubt they would let it slip. That's how somehow I know that Everett would be the wisest in the alliance because all the careers get manipulated by their emotions and don't think straight. I admit that I'm an easy person to manipulate, that's why Everett never lets me out of sight since we were little. Being in the academy made me a violent person, if I don't find a way to solve a problem violence will always be my last option. It always lurks in the corners of my mind.

A woman approaches me with a weird instrument on her hand. She reminds me of Atala with her dark skin and hair. Grabbing my arm she touches a button on the weird instrument and then I feel a little sting, I frown a little unused to the feeling. There's a little blue light in my flesh now, I keep staring until it fades. Armani leaves her seat and when she comes back she has a tray on her hand. She pulls at something on my seat and then a little legless table appears. The tray has a little bowl of soup, bread and juice.

"You should have told me there would be food here," I say grabbing a spoon. I will never say no to food even if I'm full. "I would've eaten here and not back at the center."

"You never know what the arena might behold."

Yes, wise words. It's better to be prepared.

Even though I'm full I eat with eagerness. I wonder if the other tributes are eating like me or too scared to eat. As soon as I finish eating the hovercraft reaches the arena. We are taken underground were they lead us to our launching rooms. I didn't even catch a glimpse of Everett or any other tribute.

The launching room is small and all white with a tube at the end of the room. There's a little table and one seat. On the corner of the room is a black bag. My clothes.

I sit down feeling more nervous than ever while Armani walks over to the dark colored bag. I'm wearing a black T-shirt with black knee-length leggings.

She hands me a long sleeves purple turtle neck sweater. A black leather vest and leather pants with knee high boots. I'm all black except for the turtle neck. The leather vest has some fur on the inside making it warmer, same with the boots.

"Looks like it will be cold weather." She said before moving onto my loose sweet brown curls.

Great, because that's just what I need to be in the arena. District four tributes are not well known for adapting to cold weathers, we live on the beach used to the warm, loving weather. It's never cold in home.

She is grabbing strand after strand involving it in an indestructible hairstyle. I feel my eyebrows shot up every time she pulls my hair back. It feels uncomfortable. Once she's done she sits on the table next to me.

"I know I can't ask you to come back because I know you won't take it seriously so," She starts saying and pauses thinking what she's going to say next. "I want you to give the best you have and actually try."

"One minute!" warns the voice thru the speaker.

I immediately stand up out of nervousness. Some part of me wants to run to the plate and get this done while the other part of me wants to run away like a coward. Something my stubborn pride won't let me do.

"Good luck Annie" she hugs me while tiny soft sobs erupts from her.

"Don't please, don't cry." I beg her silently trying to not break myself.

It will be only a couple of minutes before the 70th Hunger Games starts.

She lets go of me, tears are running freely down her face. Her eyes are red and glassy, she's struggling to get air in. I kiss her cheek before stepping onto the launching tube.

I smile at her and give a little wave before the plate rises locking me in a dark place. I wait for a couple of seconds there in the dark. Then the plate starts to move, I tilt my head back to see where I am but I see nothing. It's still dark. I'm sure I'm in the arena because the plate stopped; I don't dare move for the fear of being exploded to pieces.

I hear breathing besides me. At first I want to move completely but I decide against it and move my head to the side but I still see nothing. That almost sent me to hysterics before the countdown starts. That calms me down slightly knowing nothing can attack me … for now.

When it's reaches ten I see the tiniest glimpse of light but then I see more little glimpses of light. They look like lasers coming down from the roof. It keeps shining the place where I am until I can see clearly what the arena is. There are rocks everywhere. The walls are rock, the floor is rock, and the roof is rocks too. It's a cave. It looks small to be the entire arena and I can see one only escape which probably leads deeper into the cave.

Now that I can see clearly I look at the tributes. There is the girl from three at my right side and the giant mute boy from ten-which I still don't know his name-. I try looking for Everett, trying to spot a red-head but we are forming a giant circle and I can't make out the face of anyone except for the ones that are next to me. The cornucopia is the same as last year, she never changes. Backpacks, boxes, water bottles, food and weapons are there. The supplies look like they have been thrown while the weapons look like they were treated with great care and put delicately.

There are only five seconds left for the games to start. The capitol people must be so excited for it to get started. I seriously despise them, how can they sheer when kids die? I lean my upper body forward waiting for the gong to sound.

5

4

3

2

1

The gong sounds seconds after the time is over; my legs immediately rush forward without me commanding them. My heart is pounding fiercely, pumping blood thru my veins keeping me active and warm. My green orbs are looking at the weapons only. I wish to grab a sword or knives but I force myself to run in the direction of the bow. I look around me, the other tributes are running also, some for backpacks and some for weapons while two ran out of the cave. My legs are still moving forward as if their finally free. My hands grab the sheath that holds the arrows and I pass it through my head and right arm. I pick up the silver bow and I instantly grab an arrow already aiming.

The careers already got their hands on a weapon and are attacking the other weaker tribute while I look for two males in particular: Everett and the boy from ten. I don't trust that kid, something tells me he is dangerous.

I can already smell the blood, the scream of the victims are so loud that they almost leave me deaf. I finally spot Everett; he's standing over a fifteen year old boy ready to give him the death blow with his spear. It hurts me to see my brother about to kill a kid younger than him but my feelings are taken over by a feeling of protection when I see a boy sneaking behind Everett with a knife on his shaking hand. He never gets to come closer than four feet before my arrow flies through the air and digs itself on the side of the boy's head. Everett turns around in time to see the boy's knees give out and drop to the floor where he lands face down at my brother's feet. He spotted me and gave me a look which I gladly return reminding him that he killed a tribute to win and that I killed a tribute defending him.

I stay still looking around the weapons in the cornucopia. I enter looking over them watching how shiny and unused they are unlike those back at the academy in four. I hear a noise behind me, pretending not to hear I stay still looking over the weapons. The tribute behind me is really stupid. He is breathing loudly and taking an awful lot of time in approaching me. I can retrieve my bow without making him charge at me so I silently grab a knife that is in front of me and clutched it to my chest. When I feel like the time is right I instantly turn around with my knife held at arm's length, cutting the cheek of the tribute behind me.

It's a girl. She stumbles back gasping in pain. Her hands immediately goes to her cheek covering it while on her other hand she has a sword. I swing again scratching the back of her hand that cups her cheek. She doesn't bother to lift her sword as she backs up crying for the little scratches I made. I keep moving forward making her back up. All I think is that she will take me one step forward if I kill her. A chance for me or Everett to survive.

She finally decides to ignore the pain and raises her sword to strike. When her arm comes down and the sword is seconds away from cutting me I dodge to the right and bring down my knife on her left arm. The knife is as large as my hands so when I impale her with it half of the knife appears on the other side of her arm. The tip is all bloody just like the rest of the knife when I pull it back out. Her scream is so loud that it manages to freak me out and I yell at her.

"You could have done so much better! You should've run away!" I push her back hard, her head lands on a rock making a sickening sound. CRACK! Her dead eyes stare at me with horror. I kneel down next to her feeling horrible. I hate myself because I know that her family is now mourning for her.

I have killed two children today. Two tributes that could have been a sibling, son/daughter, a grandchild, a lover, nephew/niece. I have taken a child from two families.

I close her eyes and make a little prayer.

I am know at the mouth of the cornucopia with my bow aimed. Nobody can go in without facing his or hers end. I figured that guarding the weapons was a good excuse as to why didn't I killed more tributes. Most of them have fled-including Darcy- and we are now finishing of the injured ones. I didn't saw 10 anywhere so I guess that he managed to survive the bloodbath and fled also.

The canons start to go off now. There are twelve canons but we only have eleven corpses here so to tributes most have encountered and one lost the battle.

"Pile up the bodies, this place will start to stink in a matter of time!" Cadmus yells at us. He is standing right next to me so when he does that order and I don't move he looks down at me expectantly.

"What?" I ask in a bored tone. 'Why can't I just be quiet?' I think.

"You're supposed to be cleaning this pool of bodies with the others," He said, his eyes glaring at me "so move!"

"Temper, temper!" I taunt "Handsome I believe you did most of this mess so therefore you should be the one helping!"

I'm getting in so much trouble! So much trouble!

He moves closer, towering over me probably trying to intimidate me but I don't care and raise my head looking confident. I actually do care on the inside, I worry that Everett will pay for my actions other than that I want to break his face. As always the thought of violence putting himself in front before all my other thoughts but as usual I push it back.

"Annie! Come here and help me!" Everett yells. Always the savior to my wrath.

Deciding that is best if I join Everett I move toward him.

"You should seriously learn to keep your mouth shut," He says picking a boy's arms while I grab its feet "especially here Annie, one wrong move and you're done."

"You're such a positive brother."

"I'm just warning you, I'm not going to be with you forever." He drops the boy's arms making me lose my grip on his ankles.

"Don't talk like that!" I scold him quietly though I know the cameras can hear us perfectly, I don't want the careers to eavesdrop.

"Well I just want you to know that I won't stop you, you're on your own." He says with a playful smirk.

"So you won't stop me from eating the entire arena?" I joke.

"Already thinking about food?" He chuckles.

The bodies are now organized. The cave is filled with blood and little pieces of flesh. I grab two of the remaining backpack and a belt full of knives. Everett has three spears and a machete in hand with a backpack on his back. I look what my two backpacks hold. There's dried fruit, two gigantic water bottles, rope, medical kit, meat, two daggers, two big jackets with warm brown fur on the inside. I empty one of them and pass its supplies to the other backpack that's half full.

Only know I notice how cold it is, with all the movement of the fighting kept your blood running but know that everyone is still, it's pretty cold. I put on one of the furry jackets to keep myself warm. Everett already has one so I don't offer him my other one.

"Let's get out of here!" Bellow Cadmus. He is at the entrance of the little tunnel.

We barely fit in it it's so small that we have to go in a row. I am in front of Everett-whose last- , behind Ruby. She barely reaches my shoulders just like I barely reach Dakota's shoulders. She looks like a thirteen year old girl next to all of us; I have a feeling that she will be betrayed by Isidore and Cadmus. She will just be a burden to them.

The tunnel is long and it appears to be going up in 'z' mode. I wonder how the other tributes managed to escape in such a small and long tunnel. I'm already getting tired of climbing; they had to be scared to the death to make it through this place.

With every step we take it gets more colder and more brighter. There's this wind that comes through the end of the tunnel that almost makes me freeze in place. As we keep on walking I see small white particles, I have no idea of what it is but it's pretty. But then comes the time when the tunnels floor is all white.

It's harder to climb now but when I finally reach the end all I see is white and my allies frozen bodies.

We are on top of a mountain. Behind us there are more mountains but that's not what caught my attention. It looks like there's a valley in between of every mountain that was flooded with water. The water looks like it comes from way back to the height of the mountains. The water reaches the peak of every mountain except for the one we are standing on, but the thing that saves tribute from drowning is the fact that the water is completely frozen. Looks like giants ice cubes.

Everett sees what I'm looking at but doesn't appear interested on it and so he nudges me. Turning around I see flowers and an unfrozen lake at the bottom of the mountain and spreading all over until all I see is green and yellow down there.

"Well it's obvious the direction we should take," Old wise Everett said "if the tribute weren't stupid they went down there because that," He points to all the snowy mountains covered completely in frozen water. "would just be suicide."

I am bouncing on my feet with a smile on my face, don't know why. I feel extremely hipper now, I feel like in the joking mood or the extremely active one, did Armani poisoned my food? It's the only possible explanation because this is no place for me to feel like this, I have to take everything serious.

"We should start doing down if we want to catch up to them." Cadmus said and sure enough I can see the figure of tributes in the distance. But there too far away and Ruby makes sure to point that out.

"We could never reach them even if we start now." She said.

"Well, any ideas on how to go down fast?" Isidore said. They all stay quiet, Isidore is looking at everyone waiting for an answer, and Everett looks deep in thought like the nerd that comes out sometimes within him. So I just say the stupidest thing ever when my emotions get the better of me.

"Why don't we just roll our way down?"

Everyone turns to look at me like I'm crazy except for Everett who pretends to ignore my idiotic question. It's obvious why they look at me like that, the mountain has snow on the top but the rest of it is pure rock. Now what I suggested IS a suicide mission.

"You wanted a fast way down," I say shrugging my shoulders and raising my eyebrows "that's the fastest way down I could think of!"

"Do you even have a brain?" Dakota asks inching towards me.

"Of course I do," I say smiling "if I didn't I would have thought you were actually a woman."

This angers her but I don't waver when she gets in my face. Everett is trying to hold back his laughter when Cadmus pushes Dakota away from me and says calmly.

"That would get me killed." His icy eyes bore into mine.

"I don't mind … that's one less thing for me to worry about" I say giggling. Before he could do anything I grab Everett by the hand and started walking down the mountain and out of his view.

"I told you I wouldn't stop you but I think I will have to swallow those words and actually put a tape on your mouth." He laughs. I'm surprised he isn't angry, after all, that would have been what I would do if he was like me.

I hear yelling at the top of the mountain, something that made both me and Everett to jog our way down. It hits me that I made a big mistake and then I have an idea.

"Everett!" I pant "It's our chance … we can leave them!"

I know it's not the time to talk about it since we are almost running down a mountain. We have reached the bottom but I keep tugging at Everett, I want him to keep running. Everett tries to stop, putting his weight back so I'm running in the same place and never moving forward. He's about to say something but my eyes stare past his head. I don't hear what he says the only thing I focus on a scream and then there's a body tumbling down the mountain. It looks like an egg, rolling down, hitting itself in the rocks. I manage to make out blond hair and a female body. It's Ruby, and then she reaches the bottom. There's no canon.

"I can't believe they followed your advice." Everett said.

We both run towards her, Everett reaching her first. He puts his fingers on her neck checking her pulse. She is covered in bruises and cuts, covered in blood. She has one big cut on her face, starting from her right temple going down over her eyelid and cheek until it reaches her jaw line. You could fit a whole hand in there. Her jaw seem to have broken, her mouth is hanging open with a missing teeth.

I look at him expectantly and nervously when he lifts his head with wide eyes. She is not dead and we both know it but she could die at any minute.

"Her pulse is good … somehow"

"Well do you change your mind now?! Hmm?! The games barely have two hours and they already betrayed her! How long will it take for us to have the same fate if we stay?!" I yell at him.

"Okay, okay we'll go … but with her." He said demandingly.

"I have no problem with her; the only thing I worry about is them!" I point up at the top of the mountain. The careers are running at full speed down the mountain, looking ready to kill. I know it won't take long until they make it down. We are lucky their weapons aren't the throwing kind. Or at least they can reach us if thrown.

"Go! I'll find a way to stop them!" I order him but of course he doesn't.

"I'm not leaving you here unprotected."

"Everett this is no time for your over-protective brother act! Go!" I already have the bow in my hand. He is reluctant, so I push him more. "Look, if I could I would carry her and leave you to distract them but I can't! So please, do what I tell you for once!"

He finally picks her up and says "I expect your return." Before running through the bushes.

I memorize the route he took when he disappeared out of my eye sight before turning back to the careers. They are already down half way down the mountain. I'm sure the gamemakers showed us lived before Ruby was pushed and I'm sure that they loved seeing her fall, just like they will love to see what's going to happen.

I actually can't believe how fast the careers broke. This will be something that will be talked about for years. The thing that I can believe is that I broke them apart. Now I realize how easy it is to play with a career, just get him angry.

Cadmus and Isidore are running down at fast speed side by side. Dakota is trailing behind Isidore looking at the ground. I instantly have an idea. I aim at Dakota waiting for the right time. If I hit her on the chest she will drop down dead and take Isidore down with her weight when she falls upon him.

Holding my breath I let the arrow go. I squint my eyes trying to follow the arrow and … it misses! But then out of nowhere she lost her footing and came rolling down like Ruby, knocking Isidore off his feet and sent stumbling down with her leaving Cadmus charging alone. It then hits me that I didn't missed; the arrow must have gone low and met her leg instead of chest after all it was quite the distance.

Cadmus it's dangerously close to me now. I grab one of my knives-not wanting to waist the arrows on a short distance for one skill career-and throw it at him. The knife is almost invisible with the speed I throw it with but he dodges out of instinct as it sails over his head. He throws the sword at me, desperate to get rid of me probably. I duck just in time before throwing another knife at him. This time I'm much careful with my moves and I fake throwing it in a direction when I really throw it at the other. He falls for it and dodges to the wrong side where the knife digs itself in his left shoulder.

He looks shocked at the knife and then raises his eyes to meet mine. Amber against sea green. He starts to stalk forward with this murderous gleam in his eyes as he pulls the knife off his shoulder without a wince.

I decide that it's best if I end him once and for all, taking out my bow for a quicker death I point an arrow at him looking for his throat while he takes out another sword to block my blow. But I don't let the arrow go because my eyes travel to the floor where I see something unusual.

The floor somehow looks like green water, all wobbly and solid but in a fragile way like the quick sand is. I can see brown through the green and yellow grass and then is as if nature is trying to help me figure out what it is when a strong wind blows lifting the loose grass that covers a big black abyss. I almost laugh with joy at the fate I plan for Cadmus. I back away disarming the bow and putting the arrow back with his fellow mates. Cadmus doesn't shows any signs of suspicions but he breaks into a run with his sword held high in the air. He doesn't come any closer than seven feet from me when he is simply swallowed by the darkness of the abyss.

I don't hear anything its completely silent. That must be the fastest way to die. And then I hear the comforting sound of the canon. I'm relieved to know that a dangerous career is out of the list. The fall must've been long because the canon sounded like two minutes later. I rapidly cover the secret abyss with grass and bushes because of two reasons: I need to get to Everett because I know that he is scared that the canon was mine and because this should be used as a secret weapon or just covering it for oblivious tributes.

I broke into a run in the direction Everett took but not before grabbing the sword Cadmus hurled at me. I don't know what happened to Isidore and Dakota, but maybe they had a bad fall, I mean, squishing each other down a mountain can't possibly be fun. I laugh silently at my own thoughts. That's what they get for betrayal!

I make sure to watch where I step not wanting to end up like Cadmus. There must be more of those traps here but there were no more than one canon after the bloodbath and that was Cadmus. I bet his district is disappointed at him; it will bring shame because a career from two was killed in the very first day. I imagine the capitol making fun of him, that's what they do when a tribute dies.

I can see the obvious trail Everett left behind. The bushes have broken branches and been stepped on while the ground has footprints of a male tribute. It's a clever but risky move.

The bushes reach my knees. They don't have fruits but they obviously have leaves. There are some leaves back at training that you could use but I doubt this leaves are helpful. The arena this year is a Tundra.

It's starting to get dark and I haven't reached Everett yet. How far does this brother of mine can go carrying a girl?! I'm already exhausted.

I decide that I should stop and rest, then continue on my quest to find Everett. It's getting more colder know that it's evening. I can already see the fake sunset forming. Fake or not it's still beautiful. Everett must be sobbing by now, thinking that I died. I really don't care because once he sees who the dead tributes are he'll calm down … a little.

I cross my hands over my lap, feeling the little bulge of Armani's bracelet. As soon as Armani comes to my mind so does Finnick.

_Once I open the door I see not Everett but Finnick standing there, I move away slightly in a silent permission for him to come inside. He does standing in the middle of the room staring at me._

"_You looked beautiful in the interviews," He compliments "you did well."_

_He didn't look sincere in the last part. He actually looked angry with his hard stare and clenched jaw._

"_Thank you." I said "I'm glad you think so."_

_His fist relaxed, so does his posture. He looks away for a couple of minutes before he looks back at me._

"_I actually came to give you a token." He sighs_

_I don't know what to tell him. I already have one? Maybe? I don't want to tell him afraid that he'll be hurt if I don't accept it._

_He came closer to me and grabs my face in his hands. His eyes hold a lot of feelings that I know can see clearly. Everything that those beautiful sea green eyes hold is related to love. I have never seen him look at any other woman the way he is looking at me now._

_I expect him to talk to me, to back up and give me the token but he doesn't. He just leans forward pressing me against him, our lips inches apart._

"_A token to remember me bye"_

_Then our lips connected. My eyes closed as I leaned in for more._

_His lips are sweet and soft like the sugar cubes he always eats._

_My hands tangled themselves in his beautiful golden brown locks. His hair is just as soft as his lips._

_He bites down gently on my bottom lip in such a sweet loving way I never knew existed, it made my knees go weak._

_His hands brush my curls before settling on cupping the back of my head._

_Then he pulls back much to my disappointment. I almost whimper for his touch._

"_This is our second kiss" He said with a gentle tone in his voice._

_My eyes snap open looking at him in terror. Did he knew? Did he knew what he told me that night? Did he knew that I kissed him when I thought he was asleep? Obviously he knows that one, he just said it._

_He has a sweet and loving smile placed on his face and I instantly relax._

"_Ann, I … I love you." He blurts out "First it started as a little crush back when we were kids, but then I didn't see you again and yet I still had that feeling that only grew stronger every single time I thought of you. But then you came back to me years later, you make my day brighter, every time I'm in a bad mood all I have to do is be close to you and it will vanish. I hate to think about the possibility of you never coming back and that's why I'm here. I need you to know how I feel about you…"_

_I'm overwhelmed by so many happy thoughts and emotions. I'm relieved that he feels the same way about me. I want to tell him that I will come back to him but I can't. Because of Everett._

_When I see how scared he looks I answer:_

"_I love you just as much!"_

_We embraced; he spun me around, kissed my entire face. That was the happiest night in my life. He hold me until I fell asleep feeling loved like never before._

Someone tackled me; the tributes arms were squeezing the life out of me. I was about to bite one of his arms when I recognized the voice.

"Oh my good Annie I thought you were gone forever!" Everett was inspecting every inch of me, looking for bruises or cuts or any other injury. "Come on!"

He pulls me up and guides me away. He had a spear with him, only one. He took me to this little cave that was very well hidden by the dry grass and unhealthy bushes. Ruby was on the end of the cave still unconscious and bloody.

I made my way towards her. Everett didn't give her the treatment I thought he would. He must've been really worried for me to not attend a girl on the line of death.

I search for the medical kit in my backpack. Getting rid of the dried blood on her skin with a wet cloth I look in the kid searching for something to close her wound on her face. It could get an infection.

"So who was that canon for?"

"Cadmus"

"You killed him?"

"Sort of," I say as I start to seal her wound. How the heck am I supposed to sew her eyelid?! "I lead him to a hidden hole on the ground… where he fell to his death."

"Creative," He murmurs, that makes me smiles. "And the others?"

"I don't know, I injured one … and the one I injured injured the other one." I laugh. Once I was done with the big gash on her head I used a cream that helped seal the minor cuts. "Like two birds down with one shot."

"That doesn't makes sense, what did you do?"

"Oh I just made them fall down the mountain like they did Ruby." I tell him and he finally stays silent though I know he wants more details. "I've done all I know and can to help her … now is up to her,"

He looks at her for a moment before nodding at me. I sit beside him looking out at the sky that is now dark.

"Look what I found." He pulls a sleeping bag out of the backpack next to him.

"Only one? Where did you find it?"

"Two … in a bush." He pulls the other one "here, you should rest…"

I step in the sleeping back and snuggle in it feeling warm. "You ran into it and tripped in the bush didn't you?"

"It ran in my path, it should have known better. Stupid bush."

I laugh remembering when we were younger he would trip in the sand and get frustrated when he couldn't keep up with me. Those were cute moments between us that are now long gone. Everett was once clumsy and I was once a shy little girl, something that changed drastically on us.

The anthem almost blows my eardrums away. The sound is loud and unexpected. There's the capitol symbol up in the fake sky. The first face that appears is Cadmus's. I nudge Everett raising one of my perfectly shaped eyebrows. I would love to see the faces of the other tributes; they must be shock, happy and scared. For they now know that there is someone stronger than him. I could almost make out the faces of Isidore and Big guy-girl-I mean. Dakota must be filed by rage, I know that they would come looking for me and Ruby since they know she isn't dead. Both from three are out-it is a shame they didn't survive the bloodbath, they could have made it to the final eight-, Darcy's district partner is also gone. Then comes the face of the girl I killed, after her appears the boy who had tried to sneak up on Everett. I had killed both tributes from six … and Cadmus.

I try to sleep for the rest of the night when Ruby comes to my mind.

"Hey Everett, are you going to use that sleeping bag?"

He doesn't respond but he turns to look at me with a cold hard glare. I know what he is thinking and I roll my eyes.

"Ruby will freeze to death if we don't keep her warm and since you're keeping watch…" I trail off.

He nods with a sigh handing me the sleeping bag. I untangle myself from my bag walking over to her. Gently lifting her feet and tucking them in, I proceed in sliding her inside the sleeping bag. Her hair is up like mine. I'm cold; my neck is cold so I undo the mess of hairdo Armani made me. My brunette curls come down bouncing a little. I free her hair to, letting all the golden locks covering her exposed neck. I don't know if she likes her hair down but she will appreciate not being so cold.

Out of the sudden my nose catches the scent of food. My stomach automatically rumbles. I look at Everett who is eating a hand full of raisins. I narrow my eyes as I creep over to him.

I'm standing behind him now with my arms crossed beneath my breast; obviously he can feel my presence. I can almost see his smirk even if he isn't facing me.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, actually … Why, want one? Yeah I forgot you eat every five minutes." He teased.

I smack the back of his head hard enough for it to go forward but soft enough not to hurt him. Rolling my eyes I kneel and hug him from behind resting my chin on his shoulder.

"Ouch" He murmurs while feeding me a raisin. His hand moves fast, dropping the raisin in my mouth before retreating immediately. I smirk holding back a laugh.

"Afraid of me?"

"Afraid of those teeth of yours."

I remember when I was in elementary school a kid, a bully, who tried to bully everyone in the school. It was lunch time and I was alone sitting in a bench with my favorite teddy. The teddy was a white kitten that my father had given me on my 7th birthday. I loved it; I was petting his little head and whispering to him like every little girl does to their favorite toy. He came and snatched the kitten out of my hands stepping on it, covering it in dirt. Then he grabs it and throws it in my face. I was shy back then but my father always had told me not to let myself be stepped on. I have always taken my father's words seriously so I kept hold on my kitten and bite on his wrist which was close to my face. He had screamed and started punching my face and head with his other hand but my response was to tighten my jaw around his meaty wrist. That was the first time I had tasted blood. He never approached me again but he always send me glares.

Everett is staring at me as best as he can over his shoulder. I give him a small smile and then I kiss his cheek.

"Good night." I said.

"Sleep tight."

I curled up in the sleeping bag before letting sleep claim me. My dreams were about home, my family and Finnick on a world without death.

**Sorry for the wait, I apologize. And ah yeah I hope you like it**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I feel the ground shaking like I'm lying on top of some kind of vibrating device. I can hear the pebbles jumping with the force of the shake. Then I hear the rumbling like a big upset stomach. My eyes snap open but I don't move I'm paralyzed with fear. At first I think that a giant worm is digging his way through beneath me but then I remember the words they said in school. It's an earthquake.

I have never experienced one but it sure sends shiver up and down my spine. The idea of being squashed inside this cave freaks me out. _I'm not going to die like this! Not like this! Not now!_

I stand up ever so slowly, my knees buckle with the force of the never ending earthquake. I prop myself up with the wall and dash to the exit of the cave. I'm not running, I'm not making progress. I keep struggling to go forward but I keep hitting myself with the walls. I can't walk straight it's like trying to walk on an unsteady floor. It feels like I'm walking on water, my knees keeps buckling while my upper body and face hit themselves. I feel like a baby trying to walk for the first time.

In the end I end up crawling my way out of the cave. Even crawling I can't do properly. When I manage to get out of the cave the earthquakes stops and the cave is still standing, hiding Everett and Ruby. _EVERETT!_

I feel ashamed, stupid, frustrated and sadden. How could I forget about my twin so easily? How could I leave him like that? But he isn't inside, neither is Ruby.

The cave seems to be melting away now like a paper on fire, slowly discomposing. It confuses me. How could rock melt away like that? Are the gamemakers trying to scare me away? Or are they trying to make me hunt down the others? I almost want to throw myself of a cliff when I realized that I didn't grab my weapons.

Now a new paradise rise at the sight of the fallen cave. I'm back to the hills covered of dying bushes. Over the miles of bushes I see blue. One big lake and it doesn't look frozen. I start jogging towards it keeping my eyes on the ground and at the same time at my surroundings. It's weird I'm not hungry considering that I only ate a raisin. JUST ONE! Thanks to Everett.

The closer I get to the blue lake the muddier it gets and the lesser the bushes are. There puddles in which I slip and fall into face first. I can almost hear the capitol laughing, how much will I love to punch each and every single one of their faces. My face is wet, muddy and cold but I don't care about my appearance … well, maybe a little but not that much to whine over my beautiful face getting covered with mud. I kneel over the lake and scoop up water with my two hands splashing it in my face.

It surprises me how big the lake is, it doesn't look deep though. It could reach your knees but what leaves me shocked is the fact that I don't see the other side of the lake and I don't plan on figuring it out. I need to find Everett and Ruby.

I hear the distant sound of metal clashing against another metal. Tributes. Fighting. I want to walk away but it looks like my body has a mind of its own. My feet carry me to the sound, straight to the fight. Then suddenly I'm running, I don't know where I'm going or were my body is taking me but the sound of swords gets closer. Then an all mighty scream, full on, let loose, reaches my ears. I know exactly who it is and for the first time I feel in control of my body. I push my legs as fast as I can, the arena looks awfully blurry with the speed I didn't know I had.

Two tributes are standing on top of the hill or rather one is on his knees while the other is standing tall over him. Him. My sweet brother. I lose control of my body again and my legs stop, I want to push them and if they don't cooperate I'll crawl my way over to them but all of my body is neglecting me.

I watch my brother's last moments unable to do anything. The other tribute I know recognize as Isidore lifts his sword and brings it down fast. I see it in slow motion; the sword comes down to meet Everett's neck while he just stares at the fake sky. The sword divides his flesh painfully but Everett's eyes no longer reflect life. His head and his body had been now separated. The head rolls over to the bushes while his body lands with a loud thud. And then it's like a part of me ceases to exist. Everett took away a part of me with him and I want it back.

My blood turns cold and I'm not the same anymore. I'm angry, I'm desperate, I'm violently dangerous now. The next thing I see is a hovercraft picking up the body of a career and my bloody hands. I have weapons, food, water, medical kits and a lot of supplies. I'm surrounded by parachutes and notes from Finnick. Someone I don't know if I trust anymore but accept his gifts gladly.

Next I have freckles cheeks curled up in my arms who have somehow managed to make me remember what is like to be human. She reminds me so much of little Carol and I can't help but like her even if I am as cold and hard as stone now.

Then I'm fighting with someone but I don't know who. He is a fairly good match, managing to block my blows and get a few scratches; we fight for what feels like hours but eventually with his brute force he knocks my weapon away and strangles me. But then we are engulfed by dark blue and coldness. I try to breathe but instead of air entering my lungs it's water. Dark dots in my vision dances and become bigger until all I see is black.

Did I lost?

"_Annie…" a distant voice sounds._

Did I broke my promises to three most valuable men in my life?

"_Annie…!"a bit clearer this time._

Is that the voice I heard back when I was at the bridge of death? It doesn't sounds like it. That voice held peace and this one was annoyed.

"_Oh come on, wake up!"_

What does he means wake up? I'm dead I can't wake up!

"_I got food," the voice says in a sing song like tone._

Now when we talk about food I am able to cooperate. My eyes snap open to reveal the face of my brother. I am able to feel again, I'm overwhelmed by the power of love; I toss the food he was holding close to my nose and hug him very tightly.

"Nightmare!" I gasp out. That defiantly was the worst nightmare I had in my whole life. Nothing is worse than losing the ones you love. "You died…"

He doesn't responds but crushes me against him. Looking over his shoulders with a blurry view I see Ruby laying in the same position as last night, guess she's still in deep sleep on a faraway land.

Everett's hand caresses my tangled hair softly and lovingly. I really hope my dream meant nothing and somehow I never lose Everett.

"It's okay now, it's over," His voice is soft "Want something to cheer you up?"

"No, it's alright." I sniff a little trying not to look disgusting for the cameras. What would cheer me up anyways?

"Want to talk about it?"

I stare at him blankly and shake my head slowly. Why would I tell him about it when I know he will say it meant nothing and that I'm panicking or going crazy over nothing but a single nightmare? He sighs and looks away trying to find something else to say.

"I'm hungry… so go find some meat." I order him.

"Why go find food when we have here?" He nearly yells. I scramble to him on my knees covering his mouth with my hand.

"Hush, Ruby is sleeping," I practically coo "besides, I don't want dried food, that doesn't sustain me."

"Well then ask your mentor for food!" He snaps. It amazes me how I can take everybody out of control. And here I thought he was going to be the wiser of us! Guess I was wrong.

I snicker before responding, "We will need the money for later occasions."

He stands up with a scowl on his face; he grabs three spears and heads for the exit of the hidden cave. I stand up and run to him jumping on his back and giving him a kiss on his cheek before pushing him out.

I turn back and sit beside Ruby. What am I supposed to do when I'm being filmed alone in an arena? Can I say hi to Finnick? Where are the cameras hiding?

I stand and pace around the slightly moisten cave bored out of my mind. I figure I'm not taking this seriously; most of the tributes will be alert, fidgety or nervous/scared. I look around our supplies making sure I have everything I packed before checking up on the weapons. I grab the remaining spears of Everett noticing that he left the ones drenched in dried blood. With my own hands and nails I start scrubbing it since I won't dare use cloth. The tip is the more bloody part of the spear but in the others the dried blood reaches past the deadly tip. The blood is a constant reminder of those I killed, of those I didn't have right to kill but did anyway.

Out of the corner of my eye I detected golden movement. Turning my head slightly so I can see better out of my peripheral vision I see Ruby scratching her head silently with her eyes in my direction looking on in fear. I can tell she has no idea I know she is awake. Spending years in the academy helped me a lot but how can she be so … how to put it? She must know how to be discrete and silent of her movements. She's from one! I rack on my mind for something to say. Are you okay? or Finally! Is about time you wake up! But I take a very different route.

"You know, I didn't expect you to follow my 'advice' … to **really** roll down the mountain." I say with a small fake smile, my eyes still gazing intently at the spear that is almost free from blood.

She and I both know that's not what happened but what's wrong with what I said? You should be appealing to the capitol if you want to survive. Finally turning my head in her direction-with my stomach rumbling like crazy with hunger-I stare at her with what I'm sure is a bored expression on my face. Her eyes hold fear in them and are so wide open I'm afraid she is going to reopen her wound on her eyelid. Am I that scary? Maybe is the shock at figuring out she is actually alive. I'll go with the last option. I'm scary when I want to be and right now I'm not up to it.

"Are you hungry? I send Everett for some meat because I happened not to be a vegetarian. But will you like something? There's only fruit, that … for you … to, eat?" I ramble as I look at her with a raised eyebrow.

She only sighs in response and lays back down on the hard cold floor. She looks so small being covered by the sleeping bag and all the winter accessories the gamemakers provided us. I turn around to the exit with a shrug and filling my mouth with dried fruits. This feels like a little dog treat for me. Looking to the deserted land in front of me my mind wanders. It's stupid to turn my back to a career with no weapons in my reach but Ruby is obviously tired and confused, I highly doubt she can make a move without me hearing it so I relax and wait patiently for Everett. I wonder how will they react once their face to face, after all, weren't they flirting back in training?

A strong win reaches me freezing me almost to death. It felt like ice running all over my body, I shiver slightly while drawing back inside the cave. I hope Everett isn't a block of ice by now, that was so cold! Cold wind! Too cold! Being a District 4 tribute doesn't make it any better. Curling the end of my hair on my fingers as some kind of entertainment or distraction my eyes scan across the land covered in bushes from the inside of the safety cave. My eyelids drop and I snap them open instantly. Why am I feeling sleepy?!

Rummaging through the backpacks trying to find something sweet to eat that will help me stay up and alert. I have always consumed something with sugar when it came to this. Giving up when I find nothing I am forced to wait for Everett. For now my goal is to stay awake or else the cost is two lives: Ruby's and mine.

**PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR TAKING SO LONG! ALSO, FORGIVE ME FOR THE SHORT CHAPTER HERE. I have had a lot of awful school work that won't let me update. I had only afforded to write a paragraph (or less) each day. UGH! TEACHERS! **

**Anyways, guess what I heard!**

**A friend of mine-who is a supper fan of THG-told me that Suzanne figured out a different way to end Mocking jay! I don't know if it's true but don't blame me if it doesn't happen. Let's just hope Finnick doesn't die on this one… Until next time!**


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